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Services - Engineering Consulting

Our engineering consulting service covers a wide spectrum of engineering and systems problems, including requirements and specifications definition, conceptualization, systems architecture design, detailed design, and prototyping and testing.  We leverage our network of partners to be able to offer our clients a tailored service that may cover selected aspects of the engineering process, or even a complete turnkey service, depending on individual requirements.  Specifically, we concentrate on:

• Problem resolution:
  Typically focusing on technical problems encountered in plant equipment and machinery we are able to analyze, diagnose and solve structural mechanics problems that arise due to wear and tear, inadequate design or operation in conditions outside of the design envelope.
  
  
• Design:
  As part of the design process we help clients to identify needs and requirements and turn them into technical specifications from which we develop and evaluate conceptual solutions to the design problem.  The optimal concept is then selected together with the client and developed into a detailed design, verified through prototyping and testing.
  
  
• Auditing:
  We are able to analyze, evaluate and validate third party designs in cases where a “second opinion” is required or a technical dispute needs to be resolved.  In this function we concentrate primarily on structures, but have the capability to evaluate electromechanical and control system designs as well.
  
  
• Forensic engineering:
  Putting our structural mechanics expertise at the disposal of our clients we are able to investigate structural failures and determine their causes.  Conclusions drawn from such analyses can make the difference between winning and losing a court case.

Our capabilities, tools and methodologies applied in these activities include:

• Extraction of requirements and setting of specifications:
  We apply proven strategies for the definition and prioritization of client’s needs, ensuring that we identify and include even those that the client may not be aware of.  These needs are used to compile set of consistent and achievable requirements from which a technical specification with relevant verification metrics can be derived.  This aspect of the design process is often overlooked, resulting in designs nobody likes or wants.  We make a point of being very thorough in this process to ensure that the end product not only satisfies the client’s needs, but also satisfies expectations and fulfills its intended role.
  
  
• Conceptual development:
  In order to develop the best possible solution that satisfies requirements in the most complete way possible we rely on structured methods to promote creativity and free thinking in concept generation.  It is important that all contributions be considered and that all solutions are evaluated in selecting or creating the final concept.  In many cases, we find that the concept actually chosen for design is a hybrid of many good ideas presented with different concepts and that allowing even the most “harebrained” schemes to be considered is immensely valuable.  The process of concept development must, of course, also contain an initial estimate of design performance and take into account cost.  After all, the business of engineering is economic.
  
  
• Engineering design and analysis:
  The process of design, once a concept is selected, involves an iterative approach that optimizes the tradeoffs that must inevitably be made in satisfying conflicting requirements that exist in any set of requirements.  For example, performance and cost will always be in conflict since maximum performance is wanted at minimum cost.  The problem is that performance costs.  The art is in arriving at the optimal compromise in the minimum number of iterations.

We do this by producing an initial design using traditional engineering and calculation methods.  Once the baseline is set, we transition to a full three dimensional design approach using advanced CAD techniques.  This enables us to see our design in practice immediately and begin to evaluate its inherent complexity, ease of assembly, part count, functionality, load paths, etc.  Once the first design is defined we then proceed to perform engineering analysis and simulation to determine performance, structural integrity, modal response, stress/strain response, etc.  This approach is extremely effective in reducing the overall cost of development because the cost of iteration is reduced.  Naturally, the choice of techniques and analyses is tailored to the problem to ensure a cost effective design process and no unnecessary steps are performed.

• Our design and analysis capabilities include:

• Verification:
  Finally, verification of performance predictions and analysis is done through testing of limited prototypes and physics representative models.  This is critically important particularly in the design and analysis of complex structures that are not easily resolved by hand.  Verification adds fidelity to the design process and confidence that the outcome of the design effort will be as expected.  We are able to offer testing support for most kinds of engineering problems and prototypes.