CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Optimizes Designs in Real Time Thanks to ESI IC.IDO

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Challenge

CRRC ZELC received an order to develop a high quality, low-floor electric locomotive, along with the rolling stock, in the shortest timeframe possible. The commissioning and ordering of major capital investments like passenger trains, cabins & rolling stock, and locomotives is often an interactive engineering and marketing task, where the customers are often integral in the engineering, design, and ultimately the acceptance of the product intent for future ground transportation programs. The validation and optimization of the product required an ergonomic product design and assembly process. To do this, CRRC ZELC needed a solution to conduct human factors analyses and ensure the quality and progress of the product development. Traditionally, this had been done by conducting walk-throughs of existing trains and locomotives, or physical mock-ups and prototypes. But to meet the ambitious timeline of their customers, they needed to accelerate the process without the construction of full or partial trains. 

Benefits

With ESI IC.IDO, CRRC ZELC improved the efficiency of the product development and subsequent assembly. The engineering team could conduct accurately the ergonomic analysis for each region’s users all across the country. Moreover, their client was able to review the design with a 1:1 3D virtual prototype and communicate modifications in real time. Deploying ESI’s solution, the company saw a huge saving in development time and costs.