Goodyear recently ordered three new Zeppelin airships, each with a length of 75 m and an envelope volume of 8,450 m3, at the price of $20.6 million apiece.

According to Juergen Fecher, the head of the flight testing and flight physics his team uses a great deal of analysis software, from finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) down to simple Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. His team uses FEA software to create the loads that occur during airship maneuvers and wind gusts. The load data set is converted to the finite element model and then calculated for stresses and fatigue.

But there's one software product Fecher mentions by name, SolidWorks! To learn more about this project view "Building Behemoths" at Manufacturing Business Technology or call MLC CAD Systems at 800-364-1652 for more information about how SolidWorks can help you build your own behemoths, email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or contact your local MLC CAD Systems location.