CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
25 February 2005
Implementation Investments
Rail-Ability Keeps New Product Design on Track with SolidWorks and COSMOSXpress Software
British railway maintenance equipment manufacturer Rail-Ability, Ltd. has chosen SolidWorks® software to accelerate designs of vehicles that lay rails, build platforms, and keep railroads safe. SolidWorks 3D mechanical design software gives Rail-Ability an edge over competitors by cutting days out of product development, while COSMOSXpressT design analysis software eliminates errors so the company can introduce new products before its competitors do.
Stafford-based Rail-Ability retrofits bulldozers, excavators, dump trucks, and other heavy-duty equipment to operate on both paved roads and railroad tracks. Rail-Ability customers maintaining railway beds can drive an excavator to the road nearest a railway intersection, then engage the rail wheels that allow the machine to move easily and safely along the tracks. The company replaced Autodesk Inventor® with SolidWorks to speed innovative new products to market.
"SolidWorks' part mating, cross-sectional views, and associativity are some of the features, combined with its overall ease of use, that help us accelerate design," said Adrian Clayton, design engineer with Rail-Ability. "It also provides a stable design environment free of the crashes that slowed product development with our previous system."
SolidWorks simplifies part configuration so that Rail-Ability engineers can try several different variations on length, diameter, etc. with just a few mouse clicks to find the exact fit. That design speed helps Clayton and his team explore different options more quickly, so they can complete new product designs and begin to check their accuracy with COSMOSXpress.
Previously, Rail-Ability engineers had to double check calculations for every component by hand, which could take one engineer a week to complete. COSMOSXpress reduces that time to two days so that Clayton and his team can identify and fix any design issues before manufacturing begins. "COSMOSXpress is a huge benefit because it lets us know that the design fits its purpose," he said.
Rail-Ability uses SolidWorks eDrawingsT e-mail-enabled collaboration tool to share designs with suppliers who can ensure the parts they provide fit exactly into the solid model of a converted excavator or other railway maintenance equipment. The company also uses SolidWorks FeatureWorks® to import legacy data from Autodesk Inventor into SolidWorks for re-use in future designs. SolidWorks' DWGEditorT tool allows Clayton and his team to edit legacy AutoCAD® 2D drawings in their native format, and convert them into 3D solid models for future product design.
"The U.K.'s railway system plays an indispensable role in getting people to where they need to go," said Neil McArthur, regional director for the U.K. and Ireland at SolidWorks. "Maintaining railway safety and proper operation is paramount. SolidWorks and COSMOSXpress enable Rail-Ability to design equipment that helps ensure commuters get to their destinations on time."
SolidWorks reseller CADconnect provides Rail-Ability with ongoing software training, implementation, and support.
Rail-Ability Ltd. specializes in the design, development, and manufacturing/production of road rail conversions of various prime movers, including excavators, bull dozers, dumpers, and trucks. They also manufacture a full range of attachments for rail plant work, such as track access systems, man platforms, tipper bodies, rail trailers, profile blades and bogie sets, and complete light and medium steel fabrications. For more information, visit http://www.railability.co.uk .
CADConnect is a supplier of 3D design and engineering solutions based in the North of England. It provides manufacturing and design companies with 3D design automation solutions based on SolidWorks software. By providing a knowledgeable pre- and post-sales and support team, it enables customers to successfully implement SolidWorks, enhancing their ability to compete, collaborate, shorten product development cycle times, and grow their business. For more information, visit http://www.CADConnect.co.uk .
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