Applications

Since ADE was formed in 1978 we have worked on a wide range of CAE applications for companies in the mechanical and electrical engineering industries. Listed below are a few examples.

Electrical Wiring

We have designed and developed software to help many aspects of wiring harness design and production for companies such as Raychem (now part of Tyco Electronics) and Lucas Rists (now Leoni Wiring Systems). We have also written many CAE programs to help analyse and design cables for BICC Supertension Cables (now Pirelli Cables Ltd).

Warehouse Racking Systems

We have developed a number of warehouse racking design, parts listing and cost estimating systems for Link51 Storage Products.

Interfaces between Electrical Circuit Design and ATE

We developed interfaces to link the electrical design system and automatic test equipment used by Prodrive.

Process Plant Design and Draughting

We developed a range of customised software for BOC Process Plants to use with their AutoCAD systems. This software automated the design of a number of key components used in their products. We also developed software purpose designed to suit their parts listing and document management requirements and to interface with their materials requirements planning system.

We helped Babock Woodhall-Duckham to design and develop a system that extracted data from the CADCentre's Piping Data Management System (PDMS) and automatically generated structured isometric piping drawings.

CAE System Selection and Implementation

We have advised a number of companies on the selection, specification and implementation of CAE systems. For example, British Aerospace, British Gas On Line Inspection, Burgess SAIA, Caradon Mira, TI Reynolds, Urenco and Williams Fairey Engineering. Many of these projects included developing customised software for company specific applications such as parts listing, drawing macros and systems integration. AutoCAD, Medusa, CADAM and Microsoft Visio are among the CAE systems for which we have developed customised software.

We have also published papers and organised seminars to advise engineering companies on the use of CAE technology.

Quality Assurance and 3D Inspection Data Analysis

We produced the Quadstar graphical quality assurance data management system for Engineering Data Management Ltd. This system was used by welding quality assurance and project engineers fabricating offshore oil production platforms and a similar system was used by British Nuclear Fuels.

We have also produced a number of systems to help analyse data from 3D inspection machines for such companies as Autocast, Crown Windley and Keeling Metrology. Click here for more details on these applications.

Product Specification Document Generation

We produced a system that automatically generated engineering specification documents for complex food processing machines that are custom built to individual customer requirements. The system analysed structured process diagrams and, using rules and standard text stored in a database, automatically produced the specifications used for quotations. We worked with Root Solutions to produce this system for Satake UK Ltd.

Simulation

We have developed a number of simulation programs for applications ranging from automatic lathe machine time estimating to dynamic behaviour of engine valve gear. We believe much greater use could be made of simulation techniques, especially as more and more powerful computers become available at affordable prices.