Meltech chooses SolidWorks for furnace technology development

Oct. 25, 2010 - Cambridge based Innova Systems has announced that furnace technology manufacturer Meltech has chosen their SolidWorks 3D engineering design software for future project development.
SolidWorks is immensely powerful 3D design software that is used by over 1,500,000 engineers worldwide to design all kind of products, and to model all kinds of three-dimensional creative ideas. Users of Solidworks include mechanical design engineers, architects, automotive engineers, furniture designers, interior designers, plus a broad range of technology companies.
Meltech Ltd based near Cambridge and Wolverhampton has built a successful business around the design and refurbishment of electric induction heating and melting furnaces for the foundry industry. The introduction of new European regulations regarding Electromagnetic Field Emissions has created a demand for new designs for this type of equipment.
"We have a lot of expertise in furnace technology", said Neil Moore, joint Managing Director at Meltech. "We wanted to use our industry skills and experience to create enhanced performing furnaces through clever, innovative design. Ultimately, we knew we had to change from our 2D CAD system as complexity and quantity of parts in the final assembly would increase".
The team at Innova Systems played a vital role in explaining how SolidWorks could be applied to their designs and in assisting Meltech with the transition from 2D to 3D design. The sale of a new furnace for Estonia with tight deadlines meant the designs had to be completed very quickly, so training and ease of learning became critical factors influencing their decision to choose SolidWorks.
"With our very first project using SolidWorks, we are already seeing the benefits",said Neil Moore. "The first major project was completed on time within a three month period. All production drawings together with exploded views for service manuals and parts lists were completed, which was usually a separate operation for another member of the team. The training delivered by Innova Systems helped me do things correctly and already, we are seeing a return on investment".
For the Meltech team, an important feature of SolidWorks is its ability to simulate and analyse the capability and performance of a design. A mag-melt furnace typically involves the lifting of up to 1,500 Kg of molten metal. A hydraulic tilt mechanism is used to pivot the furnace body during operation and has to be designed to a safety critical standard. With concerns about the new design's capability to carry the additional weight of the molten charge, SolidWorks Simulation was used to quickly identify areas of potential weakness within the design and test and analyse the final design solution prior to manufacture.
"We are delighted to see that even within a very short time Meltech are seeing excellent results from SolidWorks," said Mark Bradford, Managing Director, Innova Systems. "Making the transition from 2D design to 3D design can sometimes be challenging but SolidWorks proves time and time again that with 3D design, significant benefits can be achieved very quickly. The effort and investment are quickly rewarded with faster development, better products and more capable engineers. We are delighted to be a partner of Meltech and wish them every success for the future".