Diving in water temperatures dropping to four degrees below zero is dangerous and limited to only a 10-mile radius of the year-round scientific community at McMurdo Station. Dive holes can freeze over, currents can be difficult to swim against, and divers can only safely swim to 130 feet deep. But to study ecosystems deeper in the ocean and farther away from the base, scientists needed to develop an ROV. Chief Engineer Robert Zook purchased SolidWorks Office Premium from authorized SolidWorks reseller GoEngineer, who shipped the software to Zook in the Antarctic. With GoEngineer's guidance and SolidWorks tutorials, Zook taught himself how to design an ROV that will allow engineers to study the ocean floor 1,000 feet deep and further away from McMurdo before donning dry suits.
"Our location means we often have to be jacks of all trades, learning new skills on our own," said Zook. "I drove myself crazy trying to figure out AutoCAD. When it became apparent it would take too long to learn how to design what I needed, I tried SolidWorks. Within a couple of days I was able to take a part, throw holes in it, slice it open, and look inside to see where the voids and key stress points were. SolidWorks allowed me to create a completely different ROV for our environment. We'll be able to see things no one else has seen up close."
The Submersible Capable of under Ice Navigation and Imaging (SCINI) has motors and a long umbilical cord that will let it go much deeper than human divers, while its high resolution camera will provide detailed images of the ocean floor and experiments first begun 30 years ago. "The SCINI had to be portable and modular so that if something broke down, we could easily fix it on the ice," said Zook. "SolidWorks made designing the complex motors and wiring straightforward and free from errors."
Zook used COSMOSWorks(R) Designer (included in SolidWorks Office Premium) to ensure the PVC piping that makes up the SCINI's exterior stands up to 500 pounds per square inch of pressure in the depths of the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. COSMOSWorks Designer also lets him ensure the seals between different modules don't fail under intense pressure in the ocean depths. He uses eDrawings(R) e-mail-enabled design communication tool to share designs with manufacturers in the U.S. to ensure accuracy. Zook expects to begin testing the SCINI in May.
"Robert Zook is a great example of someone in the field who took some significant challenges head-on and designed a better product than what was commercially available," said SolidWorks' Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Rainer Gawlick. "Hopefully, the SCINI will shed new light on an ecosystem that we are only beginning to understand."
Zook used authorized SolidWorks reseller GoEngineer for ongoing software training, implementation, and support.
About GoEngineer
GoEngineer Inc. is a unique business partner for companies that design, engineer, and manufacture products, helping customers enhance business processes and realize competitive advantage through their software investment. GoEngineer is a leading reseller of SolidWorks product design software. JumpStart(SM) is GoEngineer's unique, fixed-priced, best-practices-based implementation service. State-of-the-art GoEngineer regional training centers located within a reasonable driving distance of major customers save on travel expense while ensuring skill levels remain high for greatest productivity. Tech support staff with real-world expertise in design, engineering, and manufacturing ensures that customers' businesses are productive, efficient, and competitive. Over 4,000 customers have made GoEngineer their business partner. Learn more at goengineer.com.
About SolidWorks Corporation
SolidWorks Corporation, a Dassault Systemes S.A. (Nasdaq: DASTY, Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) company, develops and markets software for design, analysis, and product data management. It is the leading supplier of 3D CAD technology, giving teams intuitive, high-performing software that helps them design better products. For the latest news, information, or an online demonstration, visit the company's Web site (www.solidworks.com) or call 1-800-693-9000 (outside of North America, call +1-978-371-5000).
SolidWorks and eDrawings are registered trademarks of SolidWorks Corporation. COSMOS and COSMOSWorks are registered trademarks of Structural Research & Analysis Corporation. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright (c) 2007 SolidWorks Corporation.
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