The purpose of this project is to perform a finite element analysis on a mechanical system in ANSYS and communicate the results clearly in a standard report format.
You are encouraged to find your own project. The project can be a finite element analysis of a mechanical system that is related to your research or other courses. As this class is focused on FEA method and static structure analysis, choose a static structure problem for your project and conduct a detailed analysis. Here are some suggestions:
1. Your own project (must include background information, preliminary analysis, parametric study or optimization, mesh convergence study and results analysis)
2. Expand the homework problems in the textbook (must include background information, preliminary analysis, parametric study or optimization, mesh convergence study and results analysis)
3. Find project idea from journal papers and internet. Below are some links for good projects:
- Google and you will find ideas for design and FEA analysis of a robot arm, bracket, spur gear, crankshaft, connection rod, solar panel, solar panel tracking system, etc
- https://www.centaureng.com/finite_element_analysis_fea_fem.php
- https://www.zabaras.com/Courses/MAE4700/CornellFEMSymposium.htm
- https://www.keydesigneng.com/page72.html#FEAExamples
- https://inside.mines.edu/~apetrell/ENME442/ (FEA Project)
- https://urbana.mie.uc.edu/yliu/Showcase_FEA/showcase_fea.htm
You can form a team of two members and divide or work together on a project. The maximum number of members in a team is 2. You need to identify each team member's contributions to the project and the final report.
After forming a team and choosing a project. You need to present your project proposal on 4/13/15. It will include background information of your project, project objectives, and project plan. Each team will have 6 minutes with 4 minutes for presentation and 2 minutes for questions and answers. Both team members are required to present. Please submit you PowerPoint file through the Project Proposal link.
The final project presentation is on 5/4/15. Each team will have 10 minutes with 6 minutes for presentation and 4 minutes for questions and answers. Both team members are required to present.
Write a report to present your project and simulation results. Follow the standard format of a journal paper or design report to prepare your report. A report template (Project template.docx) for a general structural finite element analysis is given for your reference. The report in Word will be due in Canvas on 5/6/15.
The project will be evaluated both on your report (May 6) and oral presentation (May 4).
Requirements
You must conduct a thorough analysis of the system you choose to model and prepare a report highlighting your work. You do not need to submit your model files, but they should be kept available for inspection if requested by your instructor. Your report should provide sufficient detail so another engineer with strong FEA skills could reproduce your results. Some general guidelines for your report:
1. Make sure to explain the mechanical behavior of the real physical system you are modeling.
2. Comment on the underlying theory that is important to include in your model in order to reproduce the correct physics.
3. Explain how you developed the mesh for your model. What features of the ANSYS mesh generator did you use to get good results? You are expected to seek mesh convergence, but this could be done manually or automatically. Show error plots or element quality metrics if appropriate.
4. You must make some attempt at model validation. This may be done with simple hand calculations to estimate the range of results you expect to see from your FE model, or you may refer to experimental measurements if you have access to some.
5. In order to get full credit for your project you must use the FE model you create to obtain some insights about the system you are modeling. For example, you may investigate a design question such as, what must be the dimensions of certain features to avoid failure. You may study how changing a certain feature or dimension effects performance (however it is defined for your system). Some other options could include a sensitivity analysis, an optimization, or a Monte Carlo simulation. You only need to choose one of the above suggestions that is appropriate for your project.