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Mechanical Design

Alexander & Associates was contracted to design a complex and sophisticated containment vessel to be used in the removal of a contaminated filter that was part of an idle research facility being decontaminated and disassembled. This piece of equipment was needed on a fast track schedule and the extreme restraints on the design parameters made the development extraordinarily challenging and the fabrication potentially very expensive and difficult. The containment vessel had to be fabricated from stainless steel, with a 5" lead core, and total weight limit of 4000lbs (because of the capacity of the hoist in the facility).

Many problems were solved early in the design stage by Alexander & Associates using solid modeling software, in this case, Pro/ENGINEER. These design problems would have been difficult if not impossible to solve in this stage of development using conventional 2D CAD software. Constant verification of the CG (center of gravity) on the vessel kept the design balanced for lifting by a single crane hook which is a very important factor for the safety of the operators. Once the filter was placed in the vessel it was closed and removed for shipment to a permanent and secure burial site.

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Team up with the client to assess the design parameters and course of action
  • Executed a complex project on a fast track schedule
  • Used state of the art software and design skills to overcome extraordinary engineering challenges
  • Achieved the critical project safety requirements
  • Minimized fabrication time, manufacturing difficulties, and cost