Product category:
Rendering, visualisation and styling software
News Release from: Virtalis | Subject: DVMockup
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 07 July 2004
Leyland trucks puts trust in virtual
prototype
Leyland Trucks' latest 18 tonne truck prototype has rolled off the production line, having been designed entirely with the use of advanced simulation and virtual reality (VR).
Leyland Trucks' latest 18 tonne truck prototype has rolled off the production line, having been designed entirely with the use of advanced simulation and virtual reality (VR) Leyland's design team, which is responsible for the design of both the Daf LF and Foden range of trucks, approached VR specialist Virtalis three years ago
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 9 May 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Scanner speeds to 3D models
The Fastscan Cobra instantly acquires 3D surfaces by gathering measurements made by sweeping a handheld laser scanning wand over an object.
3D simulation technology turns to weapons training
Virtalis subsidiary VP Defence has just delivered a brand new virtual reality (VR) trainer for the 7.62mm general purpose machine gun (GPMG).
Ian Cure, Leyland's CAD System Manager, explained: "We were using PTC's Pro/Engineer, but we needed to do more than just model".
"We wanted to see a whole vehicle on the screen, and be able to move around it to discuss particular design issues, as we would have done using the traditional physical mockup approach".
"The sheer size of the Pro/Engineer models means that viewing a complete vehicle was nearly impossible to achieve".
"However, converting the Pro/Engineer data into PTC's Division Mockup resulted in file sizes just a 20th of the original model".
"This meant that suddenly everything became easy to manipulate and visualise".
Further reading
Tracking system adds realism to virtual reality
As the only Polhemus distributor in the UK, Virtalis is poised to launch a new six-degrees-of-freedom tracking product line.
VR replaces prototype for novel digger design
As part of an ambitious plan to develop a new driveline for its latest digger, Terex Compact Equipment decided to do away with a physical prototype and turn instead to advanced simulation and VR.
Stereo viewers bring CAD to life
StereoWorks is a range of systems that bring stereo viewing mainstream.
"An added bonus of using DVMockup, was that one also had the ability to work in true 3D mode".
"When our then engineering director saw what design benefits Virtalis clients were achieving using 3D projection systems, he gave the VR project the immediate green light".
Previously, like most in their industry, the Leyland design team built physical mockups of trucks it was designing.
This was to ensure the parts fitted together as the designers intended and to be certain there were the requisite clearances during the manufacturing process.
Doug Holmes, the Lead Engineer of Leyland's Configuration Group, said: "Even though we employed a full-time engineer to keep the physical model as up-to-date as possible, there was necessarily a lag between when the changes were made and when we could see the implications of those changes".
"Now we have instant feedback".
"Not only that, but we can share the design with our manufacturing colleagues".
"All their doubts melted away when they realised that they could see the model, review it and use the DVMockup tools to rehearse the various manufacturing processes".
Providing customers with a truck to match their particular requirements has led to Leyland having a very complex bill of materials.
This is because the number of possible truck permutations is almost limitless.
Trucks are tailored for different operating conditions; a seven tonne vehicle, for example, can have a choice of six different wheelbases, two different engines, four different gearboxes and 300 rear axle ratios.
Using VR to link Leyland's designers with its manufacturing engineers has helped to cut both design rework and time to market.
Doug Holmes said: "With Virtalis' help we were able to build up the entire manufacturing process stage by stage".
"They installed a passive stereo system, which allowed us to carry out design reviews with our manufacturing colleagues weekly".
"As we were able to work on how the design was to be built at the same time as the design itself, the manufacturing engineers quickly realised the advantages to them and their team on the production line".
The change from physical static build to VR stage-by-stage build was radical for Leyland Trucks.
Two days before the new truck variants were scheduled to go down the production line, workers from the shop floor were shown the model and taken through the 40 stage manufacturing process.
This familiarised them with the new parts and their new roles in a single session.
Ian Cure commented: "One of the our operatives spotted one part being added out of sequence, so a last minute change was effected".
"On the big day, everything went smoothly, as everyone knew what to expect".
"We were even able to drive the first prototype off the production line".
"Such was the success in the removal of physical prototypes in the design process, it was reported to the main PACCAR Board as a significant event in Leyland's manufacturing history".
"Since then, we have had a flood of internal visitors to view our ongoing VR initiatives".
"We like to think that we're number one in VR within the PACCAR group.
We are very proud of this achievement and we believe it is the way forward".
Andrew Connell, Technical Director at Virtalis, concluded: "Leyland have become VR evangelists".
"More people are being trained in virtual mockup techniques and they are investigating the world of immersive VR and touch and force feedback, so they can train at manufacturing and servicing their new designs and the upgrading of their system to a digital environment".
"Now the momentum is building and they can see what can be achieved with this technology, they are realising the myriad uses of VR in design, manufacturing, maintenance and marketing". Request a free brochure from Virtalis ...
• Virtalis: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
