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Travertson Motorcycles
The Florida-based Travertson Motorcycles, which builds luxury motorcycles using Harley-Davidson V-Rod engines, has been using a new design tool from Dassault Systemes SolidWords Corp.
Travertson now uses various tools in the SolidWorks 2012 3D design solution to create its motorcycles, including "molding design, flow simulation and product rendering capabilities."
Christian Travert (Owner, Travertson Motorcycles) says: "When I first began designing bikes in the 1970s, my only tools were a ruler and my imagination.
"What a difference to have SolidWorks today-it enables us to not only make a stellar product, but to provide a level of customization that our competitors can’t. The simulation capabilities have saved us a lot of time and money by acting as a safety net for design integrity."
To meet the expectations of buyers in the high-end luxury motorcycle market, the team at Travertson found SolidWorks SimulationXpress to be in particular the most valuable part of SolidWorks Professional, "enabling its designers to validate designs and virtually determine effects of force and pressure. This allows Travertson to avoid physical testing on an expensive, long-to-fabricate prototype and dramatically cuts the cost of designing each part," SolidWork says.
Currently, Travertson relies on authorized SolidWorks VAR, The SolidExperts, for ongoing software training, implementation and support. Besides offering the tools needed to design such motorcycles, SolidWorks also has constant interaction between Travertson’s engineering and manufacturing groups.
Stephen Endersby (Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corp Product Manager) says: "Travertson’s approach to building bikes is both efficient and unique. Leveraging the simulation capabilities in SolidWorks to stress test the bike’s frame, seats and other load-bearing parts, the design team can ensure both the integrity and luxury of the product."
In other news, Travertson, which utilizes genuine Harley-Davidson parts including the V-Rod motor, speedometer, transmission, and wiring harness as well as the controls, is negotiating with several exclusive dealers to market its famed V-Rex in China.
