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| ATA Engineering (ATA) provides design services to support clients with their product development processes. ATA staff has worked with companies for the last 30 years to help get their products to market faster. Our experience with the mechanics, materials, and manufacturing aspects of product design help you reduce the number of prototypes and mechanical tests necessary to arrive at a high quality, reliable, and cost-effective product. ATA can support you with:
In all cases, particular attention will be paid to:
Analysis/Test Driven Design Market pressures have led many industries--some more than others--to look to analysis to cut product development time. Aerospace engineers have always used extensive analysis to validate designs because failure at first flight can be so costly. In contrast, consumer product developers have relied more heavily on prototypes and testing rather than on computer simulations. In all industries the traditional use of analysis has been to verify a completed design concept. Even aerospace engineers often wait too long to start the analysis, allowing the detailed design process to "lock" the product to a less than optimum design. Most computer-aided engineering tools involve a serial process in which a detailed CAD data base is handed off to analysis for verification. The product development process can be compressed much more effectively by starting analysis very early in the design process to better understand the requirements. Through analysis, the product specification can be turned into detailed design guidelines that help the designer get it right the first time. The early understanding gained from analysis allows design changes at a time when the commitment to the design is smaller and modifications are less costly in time and expense. The analysis can then continue as the design develops, guiding the design process and the design refinement. By the time a detailed design has been developed and prototypes are built, the product performance is well understood. The engineers at ATA are experts in using analysis to drive design. They can help you achieve real improvements in product performance and development time. Case Study: Indiana Jones Floor Frame 
Assembly Modeling ATA uses I-DEAS® for Assembly modeling and visualization. Assembly modeling allows two important types of modeling relationships to be represented: the visual representation and configuration of the parts in an assembly and the logical hierarchy of subassemblies and parts. Assembly models can be used for a wide variety of design or manufacturing tasks such as configuration illustration, drawing creation, or bill of material generation. Analytical applications with an assembly include such tasks as interference checking and correction, mass property analysis, or finite element generation.
Design Optimization ATA can help you optimize your design with regard to material reduction or distribution and product performance. Case Study: International Space Station Window Design Design Reviews/Troubleshooting A design review may be a review to ensure that a product meets specifications, or it may be a review to enhance performance or improve manufacturability. We have not only the ability to evaluate a design, but the ability to help you improve your design, if necessary. ATA can analyze or help you define load cases that are static, dynamic, seismic, and fatigue (high cycle). We can also perform mechanism simulations for determining loads. Our analysis-based design approach can help you understand how well a design meets a given specification. It can be used as a means to provide design optimization. We employ advanced design and analysis visualization techniques in areas such as solid modeling, assembly modeling, drafting, and results post-processing. Occasionally, we perform tests in conjunction with validating a finalized design.
Design Prototyping Companies often have the need to develop new product prototypes, but do not have the time, facility, or experience. ATA has extensive engineering expertise to bring to client product development needs. ATA will work with the client to develop a design specification, engineer the product (including performance analysis if needed), produce prototype drawings, and deliver prototype hardware. This often can be accomplished in less time than if done in-house due to the unique engineering environment and dedicated personel at ATA. All product rights and patents will remain with the client. ATA can also assist with production runs of the product if needed. Case Study: Infrared Sensor Package Prototype Surfacing and Solid Modeling ATA uses I-DEAS® for surfacing and solid modeling. We have the ability to import/export design and analysis data between I-DEAS® and a wide variety of formats. We can utilize or create solid models for use with analysis driven design, design optimization, design reviews, or the generation of manufacturing drawings. |