Industrial prototyping
Time-aware prototyping workflows that validate fit, service access, and maintenance intervals using parametric simulation across assembly stages.
Time-based tolerancing captures how cumulative tolerances affect service windows over a product’s lifecycle. A modular HVAC unit used 4D assembly simulations to test how thermal expansion altered access to internal valves after 10,000 hours of operation. Parameters tracked clearances at key service points under simulated fatigue cycles. Designers identified one joint where slight gap closure would block routine filter replacement—fixable with minor part reorientation.
Maintenance loops in industrial equipment rely on accurate time-to-access modeling to avoid costly redesigns. A pump skid design simulated disassembly sequences for quarterly inspections, factoring in cooldown periods and tool reach. Simulation revealed that a rear panel access door required removal of two adjacent modules first, which increased planned downtime. Changing the fastener pattern reduced disassembly steps by one full cycle.
Serviceability windows are defined by how long a machine remains accessible after a fault. A robotics cell modeled the sequence of component lockouts after overheating, including time for coolant bleed and panel unlatching. The simulation showed that certain configurations left the drive motor inaccessible for over 45 minutes, failing the target SLA. Adjusting the access latch geometry cut the service delay in half without altering the housing footprint.
