DriveWorks Solo enables Frangus to reduce design time by up to 60x

Frangus Ltd, a specialist in materials handling equipment design, supports major organisations across the rail and construction sectors, including Network Rail and Balfour Beatty. In such fast-paced industries, speed and efficiency are critical to staying competitive.

Already using SOLIDWORKS to develop their products, Frangus had a strong design foundation in place. However, as demand increased, they began exploring ways to accelerate their workflows even further. That’s where design automation came in.

Introducing DriveWorks Solo

Frangus partnered with Visiativ to explore how DriveWorks Solo could enhance their existing SOLIDWORKS environment. As a Certified Gold Partner product for SOLIDWORKS, DriveWorks Solo enables engineers to automate repetitive design tasks directly within the familiar interface.

Following a tailored demonstration from the Visiativ team, it quickly became clear that the solution aligned perfectly with their needs. The ability to automate design processes without leaving SOLIDWORKS meant minimal disruption and rapid adoption.

Within just a few months, Frangus had already developed multiple configurators. These ranged from standard components such as pin assemblies and hydraulic cylinders through to complete products including excavator adaptor heads and rail tracking systems.

Life before automation

Prior to implementing DriveWorks Solo, Frangus relied on manually adapting existing designs. This typically involved copying a similar project, renaming all parts and assemblies, and updating drawings across multiple levels.

While manageable, this approach was time-consuming and repetitive. Every new configuration required careful manual input, increasing both design time and the risk of human error.

With DriveWorks Solo, these processes are now automated within SOLIDWORKS, dramatically reducing the effort required to generate new designs.

Unlocking significant time savings

Since adopting DriveWorks Solo, Frangus has seen a substantial improvement in efficiency. Once a configurator is set up, new designs can be generated in a fraction of the time.

David Thomson, Managing Director at Frangus Ltd, explains: “The time savings have been significant. Once the automation is in place, we can complete far more work in the same timeframe, which has a direct impact on our productivity and profitability. More importantly, it allows our team to focus on innovation rather than repetitive tasks.”

Driving designs with data

One of the most powerful aspects of DriveWorks Solo for Frangus is the ability to use tabular data to control design outputs.

By leveraging this functionality, the team can now generate fully detailed models of standard components, including associated drawings and procurement data, in under three minutes. Previously, the same task would have taken several hours.

This shift has not only accelerated project delivery but also enabled Frangus to respond more quickly to customer requirements.

Scaling capability without increasing overhead

For Frangus, time is one of their most valuable resources. By automating routine design work, DriveWorks Solo has allowed them to increase capacity without expanding their team.

As David puts it: “Automation gives us the ability to achieve more with the resources we have. It’s helped us become more agile and competitive, enabling us to take on projects that previously may have been out of reach.”

Support from Visiativ

A key factor in the successful rollout of DriveWorks Solo was the guidance provided by Visiativ during implementation.

From initial setup through to early adoption, the Visiativ team worked closely with Frangus to ensure they quickly realised value from the solution. This hands-on support helped accelerate the learning curve and maximise return on investment. “Having expert support made a real difference. It allowed us to get up to speed quickly and start seeing tangible benefits much sooner.”

Want to know more?

Call our DriveWorks experts on 01223 200690 (UK) / +353 56771 9960 (Ireland) and we’ll be happy to organise a demonstration, free trial and answer any questions.