Strategy, Technology and IP review
Our multi-discipline team has the broad range of expertise and experience required to critically review and offer advice on customer designs and technology:
- Detailed knowledge of current and future legislation and market drivers
- Extensive experience of current technologies and solutions, specializing in modern engine and machinery design
- Access to extensive benchmarking information on engine construction, detailed components dimension, fuel consumption, friction and emission maps, as well as detailed engine and vehicle calibration
- Ability to create functional specifications targeting customer technologies and technical feasibility to market requirements
- Ability to evaluate new technologies and identify potential for IP
- Manage and participate in brainstorming events using internal expert team or involving customer, suppliers and external partners, very useful for new product development
Concept to Production
Full-service or tailored to requirements
At PTL we follow a well-developed simultaneous engineering process, with a proven track record of providing complex multiple-disciplinary solutions. Our services and skills include:
- 3D CAD design in one or more CAD systems, currently PTC Creo, Siemens NX and Dassault Systemes Solidworks, including PDM data management and data transfer
- Concept design and detailed 3D modelling
- 2D drawing generation, Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) with notes and specifications
- Detail drawing checking, release control and documentation
- Material and process specifications e.g. surface texture, edge preparation, heat treatment, surface coatings
- Material Science – e.g. metals, plastics, rubbers, etc.
- DFMEA (System and Component)
- Design For Manufacturing (DFM) and Design For Assembly (DFA)
- Static and dynamic clearance and tolerance stack calculations for assemblies including the application of statistical tolerancing
- Involvement of partners and suppliers to incorporate their expertise early on in the design process
Design Reviews
Design review and feedback services
At PTL our team of experienced designers offer a variety of review services. This may range from a single client facing session to full support throughout a client project. Design reviews may include for example:
- Experience based critique of major features for reliability, performance and upgrade potential
- Comparison with competitor products and benchmark data
- Design for assembly and production issues
- Cost-down and value engineering suggestions
- Problem solving to address development or production issues
- Design review output is typically a set of recommendations for design improvements
Design for Manufacturing
Expertise in major manufacturing processes
The design team at PTL has accumulated many man-years of experience on high volume mass production projects for engine manufacturers worldwide. Our services and knowledge include:
- Thorough understanding of the major manufacturing processes including casting, forging, machining, pressing, additive manufacturing (3D printing)
- Much experience in the use of appropriate rapid prototyping and other methods to obtain ‘make like production’ prototype parts
- Static and dynamic clearances for assemblies based on function, manufacturing process and assembly methods
- Statistical Tolerancing
- Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD & T), according to ISO and ASME standards
- Material and process specifications for drawings – e.g. Surface texture, edge preparation, heat treatment, surface coatings
- Design for CAE and rapid prototyping and recommendations for rapid prototyping methods
- Best practise design for machining, casting, forging, moulding & pressing
- Design for additive manufacturing (3D printing)
