ANSYS > Case Studies > Apollo Engineering's IoT Solution for Wheeled-Bobsled Redesign

Apollo Engineering's IoT Solution for Wheeled-Bobsled Redesign

Technology Category

Sensors - Torque Sensors

Applicable Industries

Metals

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing

Services

Hardware Design & Engineering Services
Testing & Certification

About The Customer

Apollo Engineering is a reputable engineering and design firm known for providing high-quality engineering services at a reasonable price. The team boasts an extensive engineering background in a variety of industries, including investment casting, design of aircraft landing gear, heavy construction vehicles, autonomous vehicles, robotics systems, and amusement rides. The staff includes Professional Engineers licensed in the state of California for Mechanical engineering. Their expertise and innovative approach to problem-solving have made them a go-to solution for complex engineering challenges.

The Challenge

Apollo Engineering was tasked with the challenge of re-engineering the aging, four-person wheeled-bobsled vehicles at Park City, Utah, which were providing a rough, uneven ride to the customers. The original design of the bobsled consisted of a two-piece fiberglass body connected by a steel yoke bolted to both pieces. The body design necessitated a long and poorly supported yoke. The challenge was further complicated by significant changes to the wheels and suspension system of the bobsled, including the removal of an axle in the middle of the vehicle, to produce a smoother ride. This meant that the yoke had to be redesigned and the forces on it had to be re-evaluated to ensure that it could withstand the stress, strain, and fatigue for safety purposes.

The Solution

Apollo Engineering utilized ANSYS Mechanical to perform a strength calculation on the yoke for a particular load case. They compared the stress to yield strength and performed structural simulations on the redesigned yoke to determine stress, strain, and fatigue for particular load cases. The fatigue strength obtained by simulation was compared to the AWS code for steel. The team iterated on the design of the steel yoke connector and ran strength and fatigue simulations again on ANSYS Mechanical until a viable design was achieved. This approach allowed Apollo Engineering to virtually test hundreds of variations of the yoke shape and thickness in a week to arrive at an optimal design.

Operational Impact

The use of ANSYS Mechanical for the redesign of the wheeled-bobsled resulted in a smoother, safer ride for customers, enhancing the overall customer experience. The ability to virtually test hundreds of variations of the yoke shape and thickness in a short time frame allowed for a more efficient and effective design process. This not only resulted in a superior product but also demonstrated Apollo Engineering's ability to leverage technology to meet tight deadlines and deliver high-quality engineering solutions.

Quantitative Benefit

The project timeline was reduced from an estimated six months to just eight weeks, representing a time saving of approximately 75%.
The use of ANSYS Mechanical allowed for the virtual testing of hundreds of yoke variations within a week.
The approach led to an approximately 95% reduction in development time, resulting in significant cost savings in prototyping and testing.