Original Date: 07/10/2006
Revision Date: / /

Tobyhanna Army Depot has evolved its computer-aided design capability into a state-of-the-art computer-aided engineering system that includes Pro/Engineer software, Visualization software, Structural Research & Analysis’s Cosmos software, and CFdesign software.

Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) has been using computer-aided design (CAD) for 18 years. Since 1988 TYAD has advanced its CAD capability into a state-of-the-art computer-aided engineering (CAE) system encompassing design, analysis documentation, detailing, and manufacturing (Figure 3-1).

TYAD uses Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) Pro/Engineer software for mechanical design, manufacturing, and documentation. Pro/Engineer enables TYAD design engineers to provide three-dimensional parametric, fully associative, solid-modeling capabilities. Models are shared concurrently throughout the design process with manufacturing technicians, drafters and illustrators. Models provide a complete physical description of parts, assemblies, and entire systems, including information on weight, center of gravity, and interference checking. Designers create realistic mechanisms, evaluate model behavior, and collaborate in real time with other members of the design team.

Manufacturing technicians use Pro/Engineer to create all of the computer numerical control code that drives manufacturing equipment. With manufacturing and designers using the same models and software, their efforts can be done concurrent with the design phase. This approach saves cycle time and minimizes rework when compared to the traditional serial process.

Visualization software, PTC’s ProductView, allows designers and customers to perform a virtual “walk-through” of systems before they are ever produced. This allows customer-driven changes to be made in the initial cost-effective design cycle.

TYAD uses Structural Research and Analysis’s COSMOS software and PTC’s Pro/Mechanica software for finite element analysis (FEA). FEA allows designers to subject models to simulated airdrop, rail impact, shock, vibration, over pressure, dynamic loading, and fatigue testing. Modules used include static, dynamic, and thermodynamics. TYAD also uses CFdesign software for computational fluid dynamics analysis.

TYAD is well-positioned to leverage its suite of CAE tools and its deep domain knowledge of CAE. TYAD is also in the process of moving its extensive library of CAE models from a work-group-style, CAE-model-only management system to an enterprisewide product life cycle management (PLM) system. The PLM system chosen for this effort is PTC’s PDMLink. PDMLink will create a single, secure Web-based source for product data for its entire installation, with vaulting, revisioning, structure management, searching and life cycle management. The system will control all product documentation associated with a project, including CAE models, drawings, analysis data, and Microsoft Office documentation and will also provide change and configuration management throughout a product’s life cycle. PDMLink also has embedded visualization for all models and documents, allowing organizations such as contracting, business management, and production control to view and mark up CAE models and product documentation. TYAD anticipates having the first phase of its PLM system implementation completed by August 2006.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.