Project aims at environmentally friendly transport

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 13, 2005

TranscenData Europe has joined the CAST 2 project to design more fuel-efficient and quieter aircraft, vehicles and trains.

TranscenData Europe has been selected to join Airbus UK, BAE Systems, Frazer-Nash Consultancy, Aircraft Research Association (ARA), QinetiQ and the Universities of Southampton and Swansea as part of the CAST 2 project.

The group has been awarded a substantial research grant by the DTI as part of its environmentally friendly transport initiative.

The grant will go towards the development of next-generation aerodynamic modelling tools for designing more fuel-efficient and quieter aircraft, vehicles and trains.

The CAST 2 project will see the development of more advanced engineering tools such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and computational aero acoustics (CAA).

These types of tools hold the key to more environmentally sound transport by helping to maximise the aerodynamic properties of new vehicle designs.

TranscenData, the specialist in data interoperability, has been brought onboard to work on the new sophisticated meshing strategies necessary to achieve accurate results from the CFD and CAA analysis.

Geoffrey Butlin, CEO of TranscenData Europe explains: "CAD to CAE compression has become a major stumbling block for many engineering industries that increasingly rely on computational analysis".

"We were delighted when the UK aerospace industry approached us to contribute to this part of the project".

"We have been developing data translation solutions for accurate CAD to CAE compression for many years and look forward to applying our experience and expertise to the CAST 2 project".

CAST 2 involves leading engineering companies and institutions at the forefront of aerodynamic research and development.

Aside from TranscenData's contribution, responsibility for the project is divided in the following way: Airbus will lead the project and ensure that the programme delivers a functioning tool for aerospace applications; BAE Systems will provide CFD code framework and be involved in meshing; ARA will lead mesh generation and be involved in CFD code framework and CAA studies; Swansea University will provide meshing theory and modelling techniques; QinetiQ will be responsible for some specialist aerodynamic domains; Southampton University will supply CAA theory and modelling techniques; Frazer-Nash Consultancy will be responsible for industrialisation, and trial applications in rail, HGV and marine environments.

Murray Cross, project leader at Airbus, said: "This programme represents a major advance for the European aerodynamics community by engaging academic, research and industrial partners to facilitate the technology development process through from concept to industrial exploitation".

"The capability delivered by the CAST 2 project will form a vital component enabling a step change in the design and manufacture of quiet and efficient vehicles".