Welcome To SMT

We are a global engineering solutions and services provider dedicated to providing leading engineers with the expertise and tools to deliver innovative powertrain technology.

CAE Software

A complete suite of CAE software for the design, simulation & analysis of advanced transmission systems from concept through to manufacture.

  • Design entire transmission and driveline systems using a comprehensive selection of components and design databases
  • Design gearbox and driveline systems from scratch or imported concepts
  • Run and generate reports on a wide variety of areas including NVH, system deflection, durability and FE

Engineering Services

Visionary engineering with an exemplary track record for providing cutting edge technology

  • Concept design & feasibility
  • Detailed transmission design & analysis
  • Power density improvements and cost reduction
  • NVH troubleshooting
  • Improving gear shift quality
  • Gear and transmission manufacturing process improvements
  • Driveline development test rig design

Driveline Sectors

SMT operates in an array of global driveline industries with expertise in the following:

Aerial view of motorway with long exposure.

Automotive

Our CAE software is recognised in the industry as an essential tool to the development of automotive transmissions including gearbox, axle and engine design, analysis and optimisation.

We partner with the largest manufacturers of gears to ensure a complete seamless integration of the automotive driveline development cycle.

Our experts in NVH, bearings, metallurgy, durability and casings have allowed our project clients to take automotive driveline development to new levels and make cost reductions whilst boosting quality and innovation.

Person plugging in EV charger.

EV+HEV

Engine electrification is at a rapid pace and driveline innovation must keep up with the demand.

New challenges continually arise in this industry, challenges continually solved by SMT’s CAE solutions and expert innovation.

These problems range from gear whine to the effect of the drive’s transmission efficiency on miles on a full charge.

From bikes to buses, our experts have developed new technologies that have made leaps in efficiency, durability and driver comfort.

Wind turbines for energy.

Energy

A Wind Turbine’s Gearbox (WTG) enables its generator’s internal shaft to rotate 50 to 250 times the speed of its blades.

Although being the third most costly part to an installation after the tower and blades they are considered the most significant component to the installation’s efficiency and long term maintenance costs.

SMT specialises in developing a WTG’s longevity, efficiency and weight reduction.

This ensures the lowest installation costs, maintenance costs and LCOE (levelized cost of energy).

Heavy auto - lorry on highway.

Heavy Automotive

Truck and bus drivelines undergo long and intensive duty cycles.

Downtime can cost businesses with large fleets significantly so it’s essential their vehicles have the most efficient and reliable transmissions.

Our software is used by the majority of truck and bus OEM’s and our engineers have worked on full driveline development projects for heavy vehicles.

SMT also have patented load sharing technology transmission designs that ensure low cost, low weight and long term component durability for heavy automotive applications.

Off Highway yellow truck.

Off Highway

Global industries and infrastructure depend on the effectiveness of heavy off highway vehicles.

They rely on their transmissions to not only move them but to transfer reliable power to their accessories.

Our software is capable of complete transmission design and analysis with high performing power take offs.

Our expert engineers can perform durability studies and optimisation on high load axles and components for extreme torque conditions.

Rail industry - red train on railway.

Rail

This widely varied market focuses on minimised maintenance and low noise but the similarities end there.

Use cases range from heavy duty locomotive to light rail applications, extreme heat environments from dry desert heats to sub zero temperatures and finally low speed city trams to high speed intercontinental trains.

SMT have taken part in major rail projects globally and provided software solutions for the design, analysis and optimisation of rail transmissions to some of the world’s leading rail OEM’s.

Commercial jet in the sky, close up of wing.

Aerospace

Gearboxes are playing an ever more essential role in aerospace transmission development.

Advancements in jet engines, helicopter transmissions and accessory gearboxes are paving the way for higher durability, weight reduction, maximised efficiency and improved dynamics.

These advancements are driven be SMT’s CAE technology alongside their engineering expertise.

Marine industry: cargo ship sailing from shipping port.

Marine

SMT technology caters for a broad range of marine transmission applications from outboard systems to heavy duty power transfer systems.

SMT’s technical expertise and CAE tools have been used by engineers globally to design, develop and manufacture systems used in today’s pleasure boats as well as freight and military vessels.

Robotics: Yellow robotic arm for manufacturing.

Robotics

The International Federation of Robotics defines a robot as “a programmed actuated mechanism with a degree of autonomy to perform locomotion, manipulation or positioning“.

For the majority of industrial robots, actuation and positioning is achieved by multiple joints containing gearboxes.

In this industry precise movement, high rigidity and low weight are essential for joints.

SMT’s software allows for the design, analysis and optimisation of gearboxes to help meet these challenges.

Featured Blogs

Research Engineer, Olly Shires, looks at optimising bearing parameters in a Cycloidal Drive with planetary input.

Optimising Bearing Parameters In a Cycloidal Drive with Planetary Input

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We explore how bearing parameters in a robotics transmission can be optimised to improve the drive’s performance characteristics whilst maintaining component lifetimes.
Analysis of Sliding and Power Losses in Four-point Contact Ball Bearing, presented at Tribology Conference 2024 Spring Tokyo, Preprint, A13.

Analysis of Sliding and Power Losses in Four-point Contact Ball Bearing

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Paper written by Takafumi Tominari and Charlie Penny, presented at the Tribology Conference 2024 Spring Tokyo, Preprint, A13.
Predicting unloaded gear rattle using DRIVA - collage of graphs and diagrams.

Predicting Unloaded Gear Rattle Using DRIVA

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Senior Research Engineer, Simon Terry, looks at unloaded gear rattle: why it occurs, how it relates to engine torsional vibrations and how MASTA’s DRIVA modules can be used to accurately model rattle in a vehicle on-road scenario.
High-Speed Ball Bearings – Dynamic Models.

High-Speed Ball Bearings – Dynamic Models

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We look at the dynamic modelling of ball bearings, and the benefits of this approach when analysing high-speed ball bearings.
Predicting spline rumble analysis in MASTA CAE Software.

Predicting Spline Rumble

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We look at how to predict rumble in a modern EV gearbox using MASTA, covering quasi-static analysis, a time stepping analysis and manufacturing errors to see how different errors contribute to rumble.
2023 SMT Customer Support and Satisfaction Summary 2023.

SMT Customer Support and Satisfaction Summary 2023

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Providing great customer support is paramount to us. As such, we do an annual review of our customer support, asking customers for feedback.
High Speed Ball Bearings - Challenges and Analysis.

High-Speed Ball Bearings – Challenges and Analysis

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This article explores and focusses on the behaviour of ball bearings at high speed, but much of it is also relevant to roller bearings.
ISO 27001:2022 Certification for SMT.

SMT Achieves ISO 27001:2022 Certification

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To demonstrate our commitment to the highest standards of industry practice in information security, we have attained ISO 27001:2022.
Electric drivetrain, graphics and more.

Sidebands In Gear Noise Due To Manufacturing Errors

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Discover how the automotive industry uses a high-fidelity MASTA analysis for NVH in electric vehicle drivetrains. This article explores the interplay of manufacturing errors, gear whine, and resulting noise.
SMT booth information for VDI Conference On Gears 2023.

VDI Conference on Gears 2023 Munich, Germany

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Our Research Department Manager, Dr Owen Harris, is presenting a poster, along with a talk at the VDI International Conference on Gears 2023.

Modal Testing Validation Of An EV Gearbox Model – Part 3, Bearing Connection Methods

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Part 3 includes a full gearbox casing made of two separate halves bolted together and gearbox internals of gears, shafts and bearings.

Modal Testing Validation Of An EV Gearbox Model – Part 2, Casing Bonding Methods

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Part 2 expands on this research by including a full gearbox casing made of two separate halves bolted together.

Modal Testing Validation Of An EV Gearbox Model – Part 1

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We show you validation work of MASTA software against NVH modal test data on a single-speed, two-stage EV gearbox casing half.

Trusted By Global Leaders

Over 200 active customers and clients worldwide

*  The listed companies are just a selection of our customers that have given their express permission to publicise our relationship

What Our Customers Say:

“SMT reply promptly and professionally with a friendly tone that never feels like any question is too great or too small. Overall MASTA is a fantastic piece of software, backed up by an excellent support team who clearly know the inner workings of their software. You’d think this would apply to all software providers but trust me, it does not!”

“The response from the technical support is fast, competent and helpful.”

“The competency of the SMT support group has been great with a good mix of seasoned professionals in the domain and young enthusiasts with acumen for learning and it’s always a pleasure to interact with SMT support as it results in quick solution to the problem at hand as well as learning.”

“We always get very clear and accurate responses to our questions and it’s evident that support employees really want to help. This is extremely important for us. All employees of SMT I ever contacted were very knowledgeable, polite and friendly. I am really glad that we have a partner like SMT to support us with great software and great user support.”

“We received support for everything we needed, from installing the software to using it.”

“MASTA has greatly improved our gearcase design and analysis capabilities, and of all the decisions I’ve made over the 40 years working for Joy Global, half of that in gearcase design, picking MASTA CAE software is without a doubt the best one!”

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