Services
Design, manufacturing development and rapid manufacture of prototypes
Reliance has a unique design, test and manufacturing development facility for the rapid manufacture of prototypes. The department is autonomous, self-contained and dedicated to providing rapid concept or prototype models for the aerospace, medical, scientific instrument and defence industries.
Design Tools - in order to communicate more effectively and to provide a higher standard of service the department runs the latest versions of mechanical design software.
These include:
- Pro/ENGINEER
- Wildfire
- Solid Edge - 3D solid modelling systems
- Pro/Mechanica finite element analysis
- Autocad, the industry standard 2D draughting package.
Prototype Services - Reliance aims to rapid manufacture in metal using EdgeCAM 11.75, Unigraphics NX and the latest NC machine tool technology including full 5-axis machining. Manufacturing engineers are involved throughout the design process, as the machining facility forms part of the design office. Regular customer reviews ensure a reduced time to market. Our InVision si2 3D printer enables us to create rapid prototype models in Acrylic Photopolymer directly from CAD models. Wire erosion for rapid production of complex shapes for design and development prototypes is also available.
Testing - the manufacturing development department has its own dedicated test room. This facility enables both development and proving tests to be carried out, ensuring the highest levels of accuracy and reliability are achieved. In addition there are full environmental and vibration test capabilities, which include :-
- -65ºC to +180ºC
- 5oC/min for 30kg test load
- 10-98% relative humidity
- 10,000N rms for random vibrations
- 10,930N peak for sine vibrations
- 51mm peak-peak displacement
- 800 x 700 x 800mm internal size
TEMS - Dynamic transmission error measurement system
One of Reliance's key testing instruments is TEMS - a unique, in house developed system for measuring bi-directional kinematic errors resolved down to microns and arc seconds.
The system is used to measure the errors within an assembly by showing the kinematic error between two transducers in the form of a dynamic error trace. The error trace can be analysed in real time allowing a unit to be stopped in position if errors are found.
Multiple inputs to the system can include optical encoders, lasers, resolvers and stepper motors.