Case Studies > Automating architectural wind-pressure studies with SolidWorks software

Automating architectural wind-pressure studies with SolidWorks software

Company Size
1,000+
Region
  • America
  • Europe
Country
  • Canada
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
Product
  • SolidWorks CAD software
  • eTAPS add-in
  • Sungrace Software
Tech Stack
  • SolidWorks API
  • XML
  • Stereolithography (SLA)
Implementation Scale
  • Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
  • Cost Savings
  • Customer Satisfaction
  • Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
  • Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics
  • Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management
  • Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
Applicable Industries
  • Construction & Infrastructure
Applicable Functions
  • Product Research & Development
  • Quality Assurance
Use Cases
  • Building Automation & Control
  • Construction Site Monitoring
  • Predictive Maintenance
Services
  • Software Design & Engineering Services
  • System Integration
About The Customer
Rowan Williams Davies & Irwin Inc. (RWDI) is a globally recognized leader in providing wind-related engineering services to the architectural and construction industries. The company specializes in conducting wind-pressure studies to simulate, analyze, and evaluate the environmental effects of wind on superstructures, including some of the world's tallest buildings. RWDI employs a variety of tools, such as wind-tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, to deliver precise and reliable results. The firm uses SolidWorks CAD software in conjunction with stereolithography (SLA) rapid prototyping technology to design and build physical scale models for wind-tunnel pressure tests. These models range in scale from 1:300 to 1:500, and their construction is mostly automated. However, RWDI sought to further automate the manual process of installing pressure sensors to enhance their operational efficiency.
The Challenge
RWDI needed to automate the manual process of locating and installing pressure sensors (taps) in their wind-tunnel test models. This process was labor-intensive, requiring drilling holes and gluing sensors by hand, which was time-consuming and costly. The firm aimed to streamline this process to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve the accuracy of their wind-pressure studies.
The Solution
RWDI collaborated with Sungrace Software to develop a customized application called eTAPS, which automates the modeling and placement of wind-pressure taps in SolidWorks software. The eTAPS add-in imports an XML file from RWDI's proprietary sensor positioning program, mapping the appropriate locations for pressure taps on a model and converting the positional coordinates into solid model features in SolidWorks. The development team faced challenges, such as creating an automatic routing algorithm to determine a path from the outer surface of the building to an interior wall while avoiding conflicts with other nearby taps. The open API of SolidWorks provided the necessary programming flexibility to develop this automated functionality. The eTAPS add-in appears as an extra menu inside SolidWorks, allowing RWDI model makers to create simple pressure taps automatically and access the Multi-Point Tap tool for positioning taps in congested areas. This automation significantly reduced the preparation time for instrumenting a skyscraper, making the process more efficient and less labor-intensive.
Operational Impact
  • The development of the eTAPS add-in for SolidWorks CAD software has enabled RWDI to automate its tap-positioning modeling function, increasing modeling efficiency by 15 percent.
  • The automation has reduced labor costs associated with test model preparation, allowing RWDI to cut a significant amount of time out of a typical project.
  • The custom automation has reduced the waiting time for clients and enabled RWDI to take on a greater number of projects at its wind-tunnel facilities in Ontario, Florida, and the United Kingdom.
  • The eTAPS add-in has extended RWDI's capacity to perform wind-tunnel tests, allowing the company to conduct more pressure studies on a monthly basis.
  • The automation within SolidWorks software has made business sense for RWDI, as it allows for customization while relying on a sequence of repetitive design steps, ultimately boosting efficiency and reducing costs.
Quantitative Benefit
  • Increased modeling efficiency by 15 percent.
  • Shortened client delivery times.
  • Decreased costs per project.

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