CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
11 August 2004
Implementation Investments
SolidWorks and COSMOSWorks Software Play Key Role in Creation of Tour de France-Winning Bikes
SolidWorks® 3D mechanical design software and COSMOSWorksT design analysis software played pivotal roles in the making of the Trek bicycles that the US Postal Service Team pedaled to Tour de France victory.
Trek uses SolidWorks ( http://www.solidworks.com/ ) to create the molds in which the company manufactures sleek, ultra light OCLV Carbon fiber bicycle frames, and to convert solid models into production drawings for manufacturing. COSMOSWorks lets engineers preview digitally how frame innovations will support real-world stresses and strains, such as a professional cyclist hammering up the Alpe d'Huez in front of a million spectators. This finite element analysis process spares Trek the time and money associated with making more prototypes than necessary.
The US Postal Service riders used three different Trek bikes in the grueling three-week, 2,100-mile race: one for flat stages, one for mountainous stages, and one for races against the clock.
"The US Postal Team has the highest standards in the equipment they ride," said Trek Bicycles mold designer Dan Taitt. "With SolidWorks, we can quickly and easily build molds that faithfully produce our stiff, strong, and aerodynamic designs. No software moves mold makers from concept to mold creation more quickly. And with COSMOSWorks, we can quickly test our designs on the fly so that we create a prototype only when we're confident we're building a championship-caliber machine. Efficiency like this is critical for getting solid, race-worthy bikes ready for one of the world's most demanding sporting events."
Michael Sagan, Trek's senior designer and technology principal, said the company values SolidWorks software's interoperability with the solutions Trek industrial designers use. "We create the frame designs in Alias Studio ToolsT and pass them along to our engineers who can easily leverage these digital assets with SolidWorks to capture our full design intent. They can then create the necessary tooling for production, automatically produce the drawings, and perform extensive analysis to predict the way the frame will perform."
Lance Armstrong's secret weapon was the Trek Madone SSL, named after one of his favorite European training climbs. It employs Trek's new OCLV 55 Carbon fiber frame material, 50 percent lighter than the previous generation yet stiff enough to leap obediently when a world champion stomps on the pedal. The final machine weighs a scant 15 pounds, precisely pro cycling's legal minimum.
Trek works with authorized SolidWorks reseller Graphics Systems Corporation for ongoing software training, implementation, and support.
Trek Bicycle Corporation is based in Waterloo, Wisconsin and is the world's largest manufacturer of bicycles sold exclusively through Authorized Dealers. Founded in 1976, Trek employs 1,500 people worldwide and produces a full line of bicycles and accessories that are distributed in over 65 countries. For more information visit http://www.trekbikes.com
Graphics Systems Corporation was founded in 1989 as a local supplier of computer-aided design solutions for business and industry. For more information on Graphics Systems Corporation, call +1-800-454-CADD or visit http://www.gxsc.com
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