NOVA Mechanical Design invests in Romer SI arm

NOVA Mechanical Design (NOVAMECH) is an Auckland-based mechanical services and design consulting business with an enviable reputation for delivery of high quality product design services to their customers.   From the management of minor drawing changes to major design projects NOVAMECH's team of practical engineers share a passion for good sound design practices working with tools such as Solidworks 3D CAD software.

Recently NOVAMECH's managing director Nick Bush contacted Hi-Tech Metrology for some assistance to help him select the right piece of equipment for the business.  NOVAMECH had already invested in a Leica HDS3000 time-of-flight terrestrial laser scanner which is used for as build surveys of large piping systems, and now it was time for the next phase in the development of the business.  After some deliberation and careful examination of the extensive range of the latest technologies and equipment from Hi-Tech Metrology, NOVAMECH decided to invest in the new Romer Absolute SI measuring arm and a full suite of PolyWorks inspection and modelling software.   This bundle enables NOVAMECH to provide high quality contract scanning services to a growing number of clients across an ever expanding range of industries.

According to Nick Bush..."In talking to Hi-Tech in Australia we were immediately impressed with their depth of knowledge along with their helpful and insightful advice on equipment and the associated data processing software that we needed for the business."   Bush went on to say, "after reviewing a number of portable arm solutions, it was clear to me that the new Romer Absolute range sold by Hi-Tech really hit the mark - it was priced competitively, very accurate and incorporates the latest generation measurement encoders for higher accuracy and fast start-ups on the job.   These systems will be critical to our business and for our continued success in the market, and will provide an ideal compliment to our Leica terrestrial laser scanning equipment and capabilities."

Having completed the initial software training and using the equipment for several months now NOVAMECH has already seen a major influx of interest in the capability from a number of clients and has recently completed a project in Sydney to laser scan the rear section of a new model motor vehicle for an all new tow bar design.  Registration of the scans within the PolyWorks software obviated the need for targeting stickers to be placed on the vehicle and according to Bush "the registration process and inserting the final model into a Solidworks assembly was a breeze".   NOVAMECH is in the process of completing a Static FEA load Analysis at present and a manual fatigue test rig will eventually be employed to verify cyclic load requirements and satisfy the relevant Design Standards.

As well as success with suppliers to the auto-makers, a number of large heavy engineering and process industry clients have now approached NOVAMECH for other scanning, reverse engineering and CAD modelling tasks.  So looking ahead NOVAMECH sees a bright future for the type of services that they are able to offer to the market and is already thinking about the next capital equipment acquisition to enhance even further their capabilities and flexibility.  In the meantime Nick Bush and his team are focused on providing high quality survey information, modelling data, and a range of other design services not previously seen in New Zealand.   

The NOVAMECH story is a great example where foresight and investment in the latest measurement technology can pay big dividends for design bureaus and engineering contractors alike, in particular those who are looking to support the growing and lucrative resources sector with high quality and reliable design data.