Tuesday, 20 June 2023
The Department of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering at Atlantic Technological University Donegal, in conjunction with the WiSAR Lab, were delighted to utilise their state-of-the-art high precision 7-axis Hexagon Scan Arm to reverse engineer a unique component for a local engineering company Mantis Cranes. Mantis Cranes based in Killygordon, Donegal specialises in self-erecting cranes and tower cranes and responded to a call for a niche reverse engineering project from the Mechanical Engineering team for a module titled “Advanced Computer Aided Engineering”.
Mantis Cranes were keen to get involved and provided the 4th year mechanical engineering students at the university campus with a real hands-on project with complex geometry in the form of a bespoke corner post bolt lug for a tower crane. The production of this component currently faces excessive lead times and Mantis Cranes required a useable 3-dimensional solid model and technical drawing sheets to produce the component locally reducing their production time and costs. This project was both challenging and motivating for the project team and gave the students a firm understanding for a typical task in the life of a mechanical engineer.
The 7-Axis Hexagon Scan Arm was recently acquired from a successful application to the Capital Equipment Fund administered by Enterprise Ireland through the Technology Gateway and Technology Centre Programmes. This high precision equipment enabled the project team to produce a 3D solid body which was essentially a replica of the provided part, a useable 3D solid model, and a dimensioned drawing sheet. Also, the team utilised 3D printing capabilities within the department to produce a physical replica of the provided component and a part with modifications that Mantis Cranes requested to increase the performance of the component and ability to weld the part.
The team from ATU Donegal and Mantis Cranes were delighted with the final deliverable which was handed over at the Departments Electronic and Mechanical Engineering Expo for 2023. The staff at ATU Donegal welcomes the opportunity to assist industry in overcoming barriers and actively use this equipment to explore existing designs, reconstruct obsolete products, discover product vulnerabilities, create reliable CAD models, and check geometrical tolerances.
The department would like to thank the enthusiastic industry representatives from Mantis Cranes and past graduates of Mechanical Engineering in ATU Donegal Fintain Muldoon and Stephen Robb, and Technician Paul Mc Laughlin for the technical expertise and assistance with the reverse engineering equipment.
If you seek assistance with reverse engineering projects, please contact the WISAR Lab at ATU Donegal
here
