Case Study: Pacific Design Technologies achieves first deep-space cooling system and reduced prototyping with SolidWorks

Developing the first deep-space cooling system with SolidWorks Simulation Professional

Pacific Design Technologies, Inc. (PDT), a contract design and manufacturing firm specializing in advanced fluid cooling and pumping systems for aerospace and space exploration, faced tight size, weight and safety constraints while developing components for space missions. To avoid costly and dangerous physical burst tests and to handle increasingly complex shapes, PDT moved to Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks, using SolidWorks 3D CAD and SolidWorks Simulation (Simulation Professional) for integrated design and analysis.

Using SolidWorks, PDT ran rapid in‑software iterations (often 5–6 analyses per day with answers in about two hours and 7–15 design iterations before optimization), reducing the number of physical prototypes and destructive burst tests, speeding design cycles, and lowering development costs. SolidWorks-enabled analysis also improved internal design communication and helped PDT deliver the industry’s first active deep‑space cooling system for the NASA rover mission, demonstrating measurable time and cost savings.

Pacific Design Technologies

Ethan Franklin

Project Engineer