CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
August 27, 2007
Implementation Investments
Tractair Accelerates Brake System Development with SolidWorks
Tractair, Ltd. is using SolidWorks® 3D CAD software to design the air and hydraulic brakes that farmers, construction workers, and others driving heavy duty tractors and off-road vehicles rely on to stop quickly and safely. Tractair's brake systems enable customers to safely operate larger equipment carrying heavier loads at faster speeds than ever before.
Based in Brough, U.K., Tractair has spearheaded development of air brake systems which-unlike traditional hydraulic systems-deliver finely controlled, powerful stopping capabilities for both the tractor and the trailer for the bigger loads customers pull today. The company standardized on SolidWorks software to speed up the design and development process.
"We're working with engineering departments 50 times our size," said Tractair Managing Director David Constantine. "SolidWorks levels the playing field because its table-driven format gives us repeatable designs that we can quickly modify to meet specific customer needs and design better products. That's huge when you're designing brake systems to fit on tractors for John Deere, New Holland, and Massey Ferguson."
SolidWorks allows Tractair to send customized brake system models to customers in the CAD format of their choice. That flexibility, coupled with time-saving features such as physical simulation, streamlined large assembly design, and automated bill of materials creation and updating help Constantine and his team reduce overall development cycles, costs, and time to delivery. This productivity has played a key role in the company's 75 percent growth in the past five years.
"Stopping a 40-ton load traveling 50 kilometers per hour is not a simple task," said SolidWorks Marketing Manager, Europe Simon Booker. "Tractair has an impressive list of globally recognized customers precisely because it has developed an efficient braking system capable of such demands - even as customers continue to push the limits of weight, velocity, and size."
Tractair relies on authorized SolidWorks reseller CADConnect for ongoing software training, implementation, and support.
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