Revolutionizing Railcar Design: A Case Study on American Railcar Industries

American Railcar Industries, a leading manufacturer of commercial railroad cars, was facing a significant challenge in modifying railcar designs. The company had to design state-of-the-art cars while considering the specific materials to be transported. For instance, designing a car to transport chlorine, a highly corrosive substance, required a robust design that complied with federal and state regulations. The company also had to ensure that the railcar was cost-competitive, which meant developing the least costly design that provided high levels of efficiency. The company had been using finite element analysis software for many years, but the limitations of that software had begun to slow their innovation processes. The company maintains base models for various types of cars, but each customer requires modifications to tailor the cars for the specific cargos they will carry. As a result, engineers had to re-run the model for different load cases. The company was also projecting an increase in projects involving structural dynamics, which were previously contracted out due to the lack of appropriate software.

American Railcar Industries, headquartered in St. Charles, Missouri, is a leading designer and manufacturer of commercial railroad cars. The company produces every part of the car above the wheels and its customers use these railcars to transport a wide variety of liquid and solid raw materials, including oil, coal, cement, sand, grain, and other substances. The company's designs include boxcars, gondolas, and hoppers, among other styles. Each design is tailored to the specific cargo it will carry, taking into account the unique properties and regulations associated with each material.