|
|
The Challenge
Zero Zone, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of display coolers, freezers, and refrigerated merchandizing cases. For years, company engineers performed extensive physical prototyping of Zero Zone products to gain an understanding of the effects of air flow on temperature distribution, product cooling, and frost.
When the company transitioned to the SolidWorks® 3D mechanical design system, engineers saw an opportunity to use design analysis to reduce prototyping costs, improve product performance, shorten design cycles, and accelerate time-to-market, according to Owen Warr, project engineer. "Our objective was to use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis software to lessen our reliance on physical prototyping, increase our knowledge, and bring better products to market faster with lower development costs."
The Solution
Zero Zone evaluated SolidWorks Flow Simulation™ software and FLUENT® software for CFD analysis. The company selected SolidWorks Flow Simulation CFD analysis software because of its complete integration inside SolidWorks design software, ability to handle all CFD analysis needs, ease of use, and more affordable price point. The company implemented SolidWorks Flow Simulation as an integral part of its design process in 2000.
Since implementing SolidWorks Flow Simulation CFD analysis software, Zero Zone has been able to reduce the amount of physical testing it does substantially while increasing the value and import of testing results. Zero Zone has also improved the performance of its products through a greater understanding of the physical characteristics, thermal effects, and behavior of compressed air flows in its cases.
Summary and Metrics:
- Dramatically reduced prototyping costs.
- Minimized frost, eliminated "hot" and "cold" spots, and shortened time-to-defrost.
- Evaluated how air flow from the evaporator moves throughout the case.
- Realized productivity gains resulting in shorter design cycles and faster time-to-market.
"Without CFD, we were going along blind, doing a lot of unnecessary prototyping. With SolidWorks Flow Simulation, we are much more efficient and cost-effective with our testing activities."
Owen Warr, Project Engineer
|
