Upgrading Santa’s Sleigh with SOLIDWORKS

Envious of all the new vehicle comfort and safety features, Mrs. Claus decided to upgrade Santa’s sleigh just in time for Christmas.

Then it hit her: “I can use SOLIDWORKS CAD and Simulation to ensure Santa has the safest, comfiest sleigh around!”

It all began with a sketch of the sleigh body, sides, and rails that she then assembled. She added mahogany and brass material to keep the sleigh looking merry and bright. She also designed a cushion to keep Santa’s rear-end comfy and cozy for that long, cold night.

Once the design was complete, Mrs. Claus requested help from the SOLIDWORKS Simulation Elf to run a study to ensure two things: that Santa would be both comfortable and safe in his new sleigh. The sleigh’s safety is especially important because it needs to not only hold Santa, but also the many gifts he’s delivering.

The Simulation Elf analyzed the new sleigh design for areas of stress. The biggest concern is the sled portion of the sleigh, which may become brittle and fail from landing on rooftops during the cold winter night. Of course, he also checked for comfort by taking a closer look at how much Santa’s seat would contour to his…well, you know. He does spend a lot of time sitting down while flying on Christmas night.

The Simulation Elf saw two things. First, as seen below, he found that most of his brass sled was significantly below the yield strength under his weight, but the portion directly beneath him could use some reinforcing or widening.

Secondly, the Simulation Elf found that a seat made of natural rubber, covered with a soft fabric and padding would gently contour to his tush.

Thanks to the power of SOLIDWORKS and Simulation, now Mrs. Claus can rest easy while Santa safely delivers toys to children around the world, ensuring another Merry Christmas for all!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from GSC!

Thank you for your continued partnership!