Digital aerospace solutions for emergency services

Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) typically operate in environments that traditional emergency services can't reach, such as rural and remote communities.

Every second counts between reaching a patient and getting them to care. The same goes for the medical equipment on board. Front-line crews need fast, safe access to everything they require so they can give patients the best possible care while in the air.

These challenges are exactly what Queensland-based aerospace technology company HeliMods tackles every day. By applying technology in novel ways, HeliMods designs and develops solutions that make a real difference – and can scale to create impact anywhere in the world.

Powered Aero Loader™ (PAL™)

Teamcenter™ is our product lifecycle management (PLM) solution. It connects people and processes with a digital thread, helping teams monitor and adjust the entire life cycle of a product as circumstances require – from early designs through to manufacture and integration.

HeliMods manages all its product and supporting information in Teamcenter's integrated environment, giving all users real-time information. Integrated workflow and change management ensures information is reviewed and released through a streamlined process.

"HeliMods uses PLM software to bring together data, processes, business systems and people – from ideation to design and manufacture, service and disposal." Samantha Murray, who leads our industrial software business in Australia

From concept to flight with Siemens NX

Using Siemens NX™ computer-aided design (CAD) software integrated with Teamcenter, HeliMods can design all product components and tap into advanced integrations such as computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) to iterate and create optimized product solutions. The integration and use of a single master model ensures all design iterations are automatically captured, speeding up workflows by removing the need for extensive rework when changes are made.

Flexibility, speed and agility are key, as is the ability to deliver solutions to customers anywhere in the world. Through 3D Digital Twin capabilities, HeliMods can create a complete digital definition of every aircraft and its components, and design fully customizable solutions for each unique environment – from any location. This reduces the need for major rework and lets each customer's needs be met with tailored solutions. Integrated simulation with Simcenter also ensures the structures produced meet performance requirements for the range of scenarios they'll face in the field.

A few years ago, Ornge undertook a global search for innovative alternatives to their current air ambulance system. The aim: improve patient care and paramedic safety.

This led them to HeliMods, who took on the challenge through their unique approach – bringing together digital design, engineering and manufacturing technologies in an impressive feat of collaboration. The result was the PAL automated stretcher loading system, a world-first innovation that has revolutionized the way Ornge has been able to care for both its patients and its paramedics.

"It's probably the single greatest improvement that we've made to patient care and employee satisfaction. We've already noticed the difference that it makes to our response times." says Justin Pyke, director of paramedics at Ornge

LifeFlight conducts a very broad scope of rescue activities, from hospital retrievals and car accidents to remote evacuations. HeliMods and LifeFlight worked together to transform their fleet from basic aircraft into specialist machines that now act essentially as flying intensive care units. HeliMods' technologies integrated into LifeFlight aircraft include a stretcher system, medical floor, specialist equipment compartments and integrated gas and electrical systems that provide surgical quality lighting and plumbed medical gas.

"RACQ LifeFlight are a vital service to Queensland. The HeliMods technology makes our job much easier, we can offload our equipment faster, get to our patients quicker, load them into the aircraft and get them to the higher care they need much faster." - Shaun Gillett, LifeFlight training officer