Creative Carriage of St George, Ontario, a premier converter and provider of handicap and wheelchair accessible vehicles, retained Antech Design and Engineering Group   to assist in the design of the conversion process process which modifies street-going vehicles  to meet accessibility requirements. The project value was $200,000 and the timeframe is July 2014 to present (project is ongoing).

This was the first conversion undertaken by Creative Carriage that was designed using 3D CAD. Given Antech’s expertise with 3D CAD software and metal fabrication design, we were able to assist Creative Carriage at every stage of the project:

1. Convert 3D vehicle data from Chrysler
2. Take design concepts from Creative staff and reproduce in 3D CAD directly in the vehicle model
3. Work through several design iterations and options with Creative staff, all in 3D CAD, before any material was ordered or the prototype vehicle was modified
4. Review and develop fabrication strategies with Creative staff and other suppliers to ensure a high-quality kit at the lowest possible cost
5. Provide a complete set of fabrication drawings for the van modification which included all laser-cutting and forming patterns, templates for use when cutting the base vehicle and assembly drawings
6. Provide ongoing product development to produce versions of the van with different features

The value to Creative Carriage stemmed from the fact that several design engineering alternatives could be evaluated using 3D CAD without the expense or delay of ordering material or the risk of damage to the donor van. The development process proceeded quickly with the prototype van being produced in time for an industry trade show in the late fall. The photo above shows the actual vehicle produced. The outcome is that this vehicle has been very well received by the marketplace, specifically by users such as the TTC and group home operators, with orders being placed for several vehicles. By using 3D CAD software new options to the base van can be designed and put into production quickly. Development and refinement to the van is currently ongoing.

A unique side benefit has been Antech’s raised awareness of the challenges that face reduced-mobility and non-ambulatory persons. This awareness has influenced design practices in other areas.