In relation with Quebec’s policy for public transit, the “Programme d’aide gouvernementale à l’amélioration de l’efficacité énergétique dans les transports routiers des personnes (Program of governmental help for improving the energetic efficiency in the field of persons transportation) aims to promote the introduction of hybrid and electrical technologies in the field of public transit equipment.
In this perspective, subsidies of up to 500,000$ may be granted for the purchase of electric or hybrid buses. Urban transit, sub-urban, school buses and long distance busses, whether of regular type, articulated or adapted for the disabled, are eligible to the program.
To learn more, review the program’s eligibility rules on the Ministère des Tranports du Québec’s website (French only)
Collaboration with Worldbus and Creaform
Within the context of a design project for a new, more economical, lighter and better performing bus targeting the Mexican market, Worldbus, a world-class manufacturer located in Quebec, hired ITAQ’s services to digitize one of their. Generally speaking, the Handyscan 3DMC is used for digitization of small and medium-sized part. Given the large dimensions of the frame, we worked with Creaform, using the photogrammetric data to increase the dimensional capacity of the process while maintaining an optimal precision. “The photogrammetric measurements allowed reposition every detail of the frame into a global positioning model” recalls Frédéric Faulconnier, a mecatronics engineer at ITAQ.
« Thanks to that cutting edge technique, we were able to obtain very high precision design data, thus enhancing the CAD model”, comments Francois Senneville, head of engineering at Worldbus. “We now have in hand all the details required for the design of the frame of our new bus frames and for the integration of various auxiliary systems”, added our client.
This experience allowed ITAQ to improve its expertise in the field of 3D digitization through a tangible development project for a leading-edge bus design.
Handyscan 3D
The first autopositionned portable laser scanner
Creaform created the highly portable Handyscan 3D series of handheld autopositionned laser 3D scanners, which allows for real time 3D visualisation rendering and produces exportable data files to most CAD systems.
The Handyscan 3D series revolutionized the way things are done in the industry by speeding up and simplifying the digitizing process, notably for the design, fabrication and reverse engineering, for analysis and inspection of all types of parts and assemblies. Creaform is a world-class technological company specialised in 3D digital solutions, and is present is Canada, the United States, France, China and Japan.
The winning combination of two technologies: composite materials and hybrid propulsion
In a context of strong international competition and of emerging markets such as China and India, the project aims at helping our local businesses to better face the bus industry challenges which are becoming increasingly globalised.
Initiated by ITAQ and the Composites Development Center of Quebec and developed in partnership with three universities, e.g. École Polytechnique de Montréal, Hautes Études Commerciales and École de Design Industriel de l’Université de Montréal, the Advanced Transit Bus (ATB) is an ecological, viable and profitable concept. Several multidisciplinary teams, e.g. integration, design, structure, mechanicals, fabrication and economy worked for more than eight months to design a virtual prototype.
One of the advantages of the ATB is to significantly reduce the number of parts, and therefore the assembly time and costs. Its modern design was made possible by the versatility of composite materials which allow a 23% weight reduction compared to a conventional bus. Accompanied by its hybrid motorization, a reduction of 33% in fuel consumption and GHG emissions can be achieved. It also allows a greater flexibility of the interior layout and has an extended useful life.
This Advanced Transit Bus (ATB) brings forward new solutions that will allow our local small and medium businesses to stand out.
Development of a bus inspired by the ATB concept
ITAQ accompanies strategically as well as technologically its client who adopted the 100% composite monocoque know-how into the final product; it provided expertise and support for the analysis of North-American vehicle standards and regulations, allowing a full integration of better-performing materials and technologies, followed with the subsequent engineering steps, e.g. prototyping, design, product development, certifications and tests.
Details of the project as well as a functional prototype will be unveiled and shared with the industry in the course of the year 2009.
