Case Study: Integrated Design and Engineering Solutions achieves a robust, life‑saving defence vehicle ROPS in record time with Altair Knowledge Works

Building a Safe, Optimally Robust, Mission-Critical Defence Vehicle Module in Record Time

Integrated Design and Engineering Solutions (IDES) is a Melbourne-based, Australian-owned engineering product development and systems-integration firm that delivers bespoke, safety‑critical solutions for defence customers. On the LAND 121 Phase 3A program IDES was tasked with designing a tubular rollover protection structure (ROPS) for a G‑Wagon surveillance and reconnaissance module to protect a rear observer—an urgent, custom, safety‑critical requirement that left no time for multiple destructive physical prototype tests.

IDES used Altair HyperWorks (HyperMesh, Radioss, HyperView) to build finite‑element models of the pendulum test rig, chassis and module, iterate virtual designs and simulate rollover loading, dramatically reducing physical prototyping. The final virtual design was validated with a single physical test that correlated well with simulations, was delivered on time and on budget, and is now in service—saving significant time, cost and effort while meeting stringent safety requirements.

Integrated Design and Engineering Solutions

Anatoly Kaganov

Senior Project Engineer