Case Studies
Location
Waterford
“When we presented the findings of the project to our German OEM customer, they were genuinely blown away with the level of detail provided and results we had proven out. With expectations surpassed we have been green lighted to introduce the design where possible across their entire range.”
Profile
Keltech is a Contract Manufacturing partner based in Waterford, specialising in the supply of integrated metal assemblies with a focused level of expertise in: Acoustic Enclosures, Reservoir Tanks, Cabins & Over-Head Guards and Telecommunications Enclosures.
SEAM at SETU is one of the leading Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateway Centres in the country providing innovative materials science & engineering solutions for industries seeking assistance on materials related issues that cannot be solved by utilising their on-site resources.
Problem to Be Solved
Keltech identified a cost saving opportunity which involved the replacement of 3 return pipes within the tank with fabricated channels. These return pipes supply oil to the tank in a controlled manner, but have a long 16 week lead time and high cost. The challenge was therefore to identify if fabricated channels could match the performance of the pipes in delivering oil to the tank.
The Solution
Keltech approached the SEAM Research Centre, a leading Technology Gateway Centre based within the South East Technological University, with the idea of conducting an analysis to demonstrate the performance of fabricated channels, and compare their performance to that of the existing piping solutions.
Impact for the Company
SEAM built two computational models of the hydraulic reservoir tank, one with the existing return pipe solution and one with the fabricated channel design concept. The flow of oil into the tank was simulated in each model, allowing for a comparative analysis between the two designs. Based on the comparative analysis, SEAM was able to establish that the channel design matched the performance of the pipes, and was also able to suggest opportunities for channel design improvement to further reduce turbulent kinetic energy levels. By partnering with SEAM for this innovative design optimisation project, Keltech were able to evaluate the proposed design optimisation solution through detailed engineering analysis, before presenting this to their customer.
