Design of a C-clamp
The circular body of a C-clamp needs to be redesigned for handling a clamping force of 450 lb in static conditions. The minimum space needs to be 2.5 in. The designer is to select the material among gray cast iron (40, 50 or 60) or forged steels, the radius of the C-clamp and the cross-section to use, which can be I-shaped, T-shaped or rectangular, assumed to be constant. Provide with the factor of safety for the final design.
Submit your design as a memorandum to me, your customer as something like "Per your request, the following design for a C-clamp was completed and is being submitted for your approval" The format should follow a logical order, e.g.
1) List design objectives and requirements (these will be short for this one)
2) Draw a sketch showing all features of interest (including forces).
3) Identify the kind of analysis to be performed (e.g. bending, deflection, etc.)
4) List all given data and assumptions and the decisions taken based on these.
5) Draw free body diagrams and show the stresses in a clear format (sketches, Mohr's circles,...).
6) Write the formulas to be used in symbol form and clearly indicate the values and units of the variables involved.
7) Solve all formulas for the desired variables (show all work)
8) State the failure criterion used to compute the factor of safety.
9) State whether the design will function as required and summarize its performance.
10) Model the design in Solidworks and perform finite-element analysis. Compare the results to your calculations.
