Netherlands simulator manufacturer establishes Asia-Pacific base in Australia 14 July 2010 Cruden, the Netherlands-based designer and manufacturer or interactive motion-based racing simulators, has established an office in Melbourne as a base for Asia-Pacific. A leader in motion science and software, Cruden’s simulators are used in the aerospace, automotive development, civil engineering, defence, driver training, entertainment, marine, mining and motor sport industries. Motion simulation was developed initially for flight training. Cruden, which came out of the Netherlands’ Fokker Aircraft Company, developed a realistic racing simulator by taking its flight simulation know-how and combining a motion base with a detailed vehicle model. At its Amsterdam headquarters, Cruden has a team of mechanical engineers, vehicle dynamicists, software developers and project managers working on the current range of their ‘Hexatech’ simulators. Applications include vehicle testing, driver appraisal and behaviour analysis, engineering training, and race strategy. Frank Kalff, Cruden’s Commercial Director, said that the company’s expansion into the Asia- Pacific region reflects the growing adoption of simulators by automotive Tier One suppliers, OEM regional technical centres, and non-Formula 1 motor sports. “It is also a response to the demand for more sophisticated motion systems in simulators for the defence and mining industries,” said Mr Kalff. He added that as the technology becomes more affordable and vehicle and road-modelling improves, Cruden’s professional simulators are now within the reach of new markets as a viable testing tool to help reduce costs and speed-up development time. “We are now ideally placed to serve customers globally,” he said. More information |