For those who know exactly what type of Structural Engineering support they need
At Cascade Engineering, we have been able to develop a wide range of experience and services that support customers with specific disciplines that integrate into their internal projects and programmes, so they benefit from expert support in a very precise and focused format.
We can support your structural engineering project meeting all your quality requirements at the time you need it.
Below are some of the services we offer for customers who know precisely what they want:-
If you need one or more of the ad hoc services listed below call us on +44 1252 594121 or email info@cascade-engineering.co.uk.
The assessment of steady state loads on a structure. Generally aimed at ensuring the structure does not yield or plastically deform under the worst extreme loads it will ever experience throughout the lifetime of the entire fleet. Also ensuring that, with an appropriate safety factor mandated by the authorities, the structure will never rupture and fail under these same steady state loads.
Ensuring that, under repeated application of the service duty cycle loads, the structure has adequate tolerance to avoid cracks, and that those cracks, should they occur, be found before they become critical. Developing inspection intervals to ensure that any damage caused to a structure will be found during routine inspections or maintenance. Also ensuring that any structure is designed with an appropriate level of redundancy to withstand failures, for whatever reason they may occur.
Metallic materials such as aluminium alloy and steel offer toughness and strength, plus robustness in use; they offer excellent characteristics in almost all applications. They are generally joined using fasteners of some type, but welding does also need to be assessed when necessary. There are novel metallic materials entering the market, such as metal matrix composites or even metal honeycomb sandwich panels, the progress and application of which our expert engineers monitor to ensure the most appropriate solutions are provided for every project.
The use of computer-based modelling techniques to speed up and enhance the data available to the engineer across all the disciplines mentioned above, notably to calculate loads and localised stresses throughout the structure.
At Cascade Engineering we currently use two main packages: Altair Hyperworks suite of software, including Optistrut and RADIOSS solvers, and the MSC suite of tools including NASTRAN and PATRAN. If you would like a different tool set, please talk to us as this is more than likely possible.
Composite materials offer a more tailored solution as they integrate more than one material into the product, utilising each appropriately. Typically, a carbon or glass fibre is embedded in an epoxy resin, but other systems are available. They may be used in sandwich panels with either a honeycomb or foam core.
Composites have their own failure modes and require their own techniques for structural analysis and we have exceptional capability in this regard.
Dynamic Analysis involves determining the natural frequency of structures so that this can be assessed against the normal operational environment. This allows the structure to be reviewed to make sure that there are no elements that could be adversely affected when in use. Assessing the dynamic response of a structure to enforced vibration or cyclic loading is also a key area to be analysed on certain programmes and one for which our engineers have significant experience.
Assessing a structural response to an abrupt impact load, such as an aircraft hitting a bird or equipment experiencing an explosive shock event. The energy experienced by a structure during such an event is significant, but the time over which it occurs is small. The interrelationship between these changes the results for any structure that experiences them and should be fully analysed as early as possible in the programme lifecycle to ensure structural integrity or survivability should such an unlikely, but potentially catastrophic, event occur.
Development of structural testing programmes and applied loads. Advice on testing programmes. Assessment of results from any testing, both laboratory and / or in-service vehicle usage. Correlation and validation of both tests and modelling performed to support any analysis. Many aspects of structural analysis rely heavily on and are underpinned by solid test data, therefore our engineers by necessity have significant experience interpreting, defining and reviewing test information.
The process by which a design evolves from a mere concept, through a milestone gate reviewed process, to become a structure that meets all the requirements and moves on to be manufactured. This includes all the CAD modelling and drawing creation necessary, to either our or your process. During this process all the engineering experience and know-how, skills and analysis techniques used within Cascade Engineering will be applied to inform the route through this process to a successful resulting product. The design process will take account of all the performance, cost, maintainability, manufacturing, material availability, certification and other requirements that need to be met. At Cascade Engineering we use two key CAD packages at present: SolidWorks and CATIA. If you have a different package you would like us to use, please talk to us and we will endeavour to see what can be done.
A structure that has been released into the manufacturing process is likely to need a level of support, especially during introduction of a new design. This will be true regardless of the attention paid to ensure the manufacturing capabilities have been accounted for within the design process. Inevitably there will also be issues which occur during manufacture that need to be supported to determine if these can be accepted or adapted to reduce the impact on the completed structure.
Although Cascade Engineering has no manufacturing facility, we have extensive experience of working alongside manufacturing organisations, within either OEMs or their supply chains. We understand what is required by these manufacturing organisations and facilities in order for them to deliver your project requirements directly to your location, on time and in full. We can therefore offer to arrange for the provision of manufacturing capability through either facilities we have used in the past, within your existing supply chain or a completely new facility. This works well if you have little experience of working with these organisations and/or would like an almost turnkey solution.
Should you require anything else, please contact us to discuss how we could help with that specific issue. Maybe your project is primarily of a structural nature, but has design drivers from other domains, such as aerodynamics, electronic signature or thermal control. We can support these aspects of the task, so please talk to us to determine how that can be integrated into the project you would like us to perform.
Cascade Engineering
The Meads Business Centre,
Kingsmead,
Farnborough,
hampshire, GU14 7SR
Telephone: +44 1252 594 121
Email: info@cascade-engineering.co.uk
Cascade Engineering is a trading name of
Cascade Aerospace Engineering Limited.
Reg. No. 05838778
