PTC’s ability to push the boundaries of performance with its product lifecycle management solutions has helped create one of the world’s biggest breakthroughs in motorsport micro mobility.
The Reading-based digital transformation specialist’s Windchill PLM has been a key tool in the development of eSkootr S1-X by YCOM, a revolutionary electric racing scooter that is capable of 62mph.
Offering designers and engineers the ability to work with real-time data regardless of where they are in the world was key to overcoming several practical issues and ensured it took just six months from initial design into production and then a championship racing debut.
Dario Scalzotto, who managed the eSkootr S1-X project on behalf of YCOM, commented: “PLM is essential to manage any project in a structured way, and Windchill demonstrated all its key features in helping us manage this project.
“We were faced with a blank sheet of paper, where everything had to be written from scratch. Developing something that would take shape little by little – driven by feedback that would come from the vehicle testers – was on the one hand exciting, on the other hand very challenging.”
He continued: “Arriving at what would eventually become the Bill of Material (BOM) list for the production vehicle was critical and Windchill was instrumental in this.”
PTC’s Windchill solution showed great flexibility in its integration, interfacing with some third-party software, particularly a CAD system and ERP software that YCOM already had in the company, in a smooth and transparent way.
This even allowed for the possibility of exchanging 3D multipart Bills of Materials and product documentation with them in a way that could be customised according to specific needs.
Having the right PLM in place also proved to be the ideal corporate tool for YCOM, providing experience, know-how and technologies that enable not only faster and more effective achievement of the goals established with the customer, but also comprehensive and documented management of parts, assemblies, and products throughout the lifecycle.
“YCOM always seeks the highest performance, using the motorsport approach as a solid base to accelerate the development of mobility projects – a sensible notion when you consider how competition vehicles often offer the space to be a great laboratory in terms of values and innovation,” added Elliot Clarke, UKi Director at PTC.
“We are proud to have supported YCOM in its daily work and contributed to the global innovator pushing the boundaries of innovation when bringing motorsport and micro mobility together.”
In just six months, YCOM was able to go from idea, to prototype, to production of several dozen vehicles ready for real track testing, simulating full races and fully hitting the very tight time requirements of the project.
At the same time, it succeeded in giving a completely innovative twist to people’s views on what a scooter could do, bringing the spirit of competition to meeting the values of sustainability.
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