CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
14 April 2008
Implementation Investments
Arnold Maschinenbau Uses PTC® CoCreate® Modeling to Develop Unique Research Submarine in Nine Months
PTC announced that Arnold Maschinenbau, a German-based engineering company, has used CoCreate Modeling for the design and development of the Shark Observation Vehicle II (SOVII). CoCreate Modeling is PTC’s explicit 3D CAD software, which formed the foundation for this highly iterative and exploratory design project. Arnold Maschinenbau selected CoCreate Modeling to complete its first global environmental project of developing a submarine designed for research of the great white shark.
Arnold Maschinenbau, was given less than a year to produce a submarine that could observe and document the behavior of sharks off the coast of South Africa. With this submarine being the first and only of its kind in the world, Arnold Maschinenbau was faced with creating a totally unique design. Throughout the submarine’s development, key challenges included dramatically adjusting the weight of the submarine, enlarging the cabin, and completely reworking the roof. With CoCreate Modeling’s explicit approach to 3D design, parts and assemblies could be created from scratch and quickly modified during design. Arnold conceptualized, designed, modified, and manufactured the salt water sub within just nine months.
“Given the aggressive time frame to completely design a unique submarine, we believe that CoCreate Modeling really was the best choice for the project,” said Peter Arnold, managing director of Arnold Maschinenbau. “We had to rely on trial-and-error development and respond with changes up until the very last open water test. In my mind, such a project can only be successfully completed using the explicit modeling approach provided by CoCreate Modeling from PTC.”
“Engineering companies that drive product development from initial ideas and evolving requirement specifications value flexibility and iteration speed above all else,” said Ulrich Mahle, vice president of R&D and marketing for CoCreate products at PTC. “Arnold Maschinenbau designed an entirely unique product of global environmental significance, which required major unanticipated design changes throughout the process and quick deployment of many alternative designs. CoCreate Modeling delivered these key factors of success.”
As a result of the overwhelming success of the SOVII, Arnold Maschinenbau will again rely on CoCreate Modeling for its next project – a submarine small enough to explore the behavior of sharks in shallow water near beaches.
Arnold Maschinenbau GmbH, please visit http://www.am-gmbh.co or http://www.sharkproject.org.
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