EG-264 CAE Supplementary Solidworks Deadline: 11am 1st August 2022
EG-264–SUPPLEMENTARY Solidworks Coursework 2021/2022
Turnitin Submission Deadline: 11am Monday 1st August 2022

Solidworks Exercise – End effector bracket

Basic Details:
For this INDIVIDUAL assignment, a technical report detailing your solution is
required. This should be submitted as a single PDF document, and submitted
through the Turnitin link on Canvas.

In the report you should consider (but are not limited to)
• Demonstration of mesh refinement and control (ideally before the final
16 experiments).
• The description of the optimum design for Low cost, low weight and high
strength product (all claims must be backed up with evidence).
• A plot of the maximum von Mises stress results along the top edge length
for all simulations.
• A plot of the minimum factor of safety for all simulations.
• A plot of the displacement results along the top edge of the length (figure
2) for all simulations.
• Consideration of additional design requirements.

The individuals technical report must be 5 pages maximum INCLUDING the
Part Drawing (which must be A3 in size) - NO appendices. Any pages after
reaching the page limit will not be marked.

The following criteria will be used to assess the reports:

1. Introduction to the overall design task (10 %).
2. Description of the key features of your design and the rationale for the
design choices that have been made (20 %). (Specifically, why you altered
the variables chosen, and how they affect the improved design compared
to the initial values).
3. Completion of the simulation experiments with results summary (20 %).
4. Technical drawing of optimised design (10 %). – (N.B If the part cannot be
manufactured from the drawing, the max mark for this section will be 4%).
5. Conclusion (20 %).
6. Overall quality of report (20 %).

Background
An end effector bracket for a 6 axis robot needs to be produced. The selected
design cannot fail in service so a design of experiments (DOE) approach is to be
adopted to optimise the final product. The L design bracket (figure 1) must not
exceed a Length and Height of 100 mm and 130 mm respectively. The bracket is
to be bolted to a face plate, so two clearance holes must be placed in the back
surface and are required to accommodate bolts between M3-M8 size. The force
EG-264 CAE Supplementary Solidworks Deadline: 11am 1st August 2022
load acting on the last 5mm of the end of the bracket is predicted to be between
1100 N and 1600 N (inertia effects of the robot z-axis movements are currently
unknown) (figure 2). The part should be of the same width throughout (45 mm)
and it also requires a fillet (corner radius) feature to reduce stresses.

The final part design choice must evidence using FEA simulation, meaningful
information in terms of Low cost, low weight and high strength. The designer must
consider manufacturability, material cost, sustainability and safety. To help
deliver this, the designer has the following degrees of freedom (control factors)

• Fillet (corner rad) dimensions
• Part material
• Depth
• length

The simulation optimisation should consider two levels (variables) for each of the
control factors.

Additional design requirements to consider
The designer should also consider the effects of the design under temperature,
where an increase in temperature (from ambient) of 40 ̊C is predicted.

Design of experiments
The Taguchi design of experiments (DOE) method is to be used to plan the
simulations (table 1). DOE is used to acquire data in a controlled way, obtaining
information about the behavior of the bracket and identifying significant factors
affecting the design when it experiences a force. The sixteen experiments will be
used to identify a Low cost, low weight and high strength design by investigating
the von Mises stress and displacement responses. The simulations can be done
separately, or by use of the design study method detailed during lectures.

Table 1. Taguchi L16 Orthogonal Array Design

RUN Factors
1 2 3 4
1 1 1 1 1
2 1 1 1 2
3 1 1 2 1
4 1 1 2 2
5 1 2 1 1
6 1 2 1 2
7 1 2 2 1
8 1 2 2 2
9 2 1 1 1
10 2 1 1 2
11 2 1 2 1
12 2 1 2 2
13 2 2 1 1
14 2 2 1 2
15 2 2 2 1
16 2 2 2 2
EG-264 CAE Supplementary Solidworks Deadline: 11am 1st August 2022
Description of Task
As part of your design, you will need to undertake the following tasks:
• Create a study
• Assign material properties
• Define loads and restraints
• Mesh the model
• Run the model
• Ensure the results are correct by performing a mesh dependancy study.
• Find Von Mises stresses, deformation and minimum factor of safety based
on face and point loading.
• Assess relevant material

Timelines
The submission deadline for the technical report is 11:00am on Monday 1st
August 2022.


Resources
https://www.solidworks.com/sw/resources.htm


Figure1: Basic bracket design


Figure 2: Load area (5mm) and data interest (green line on top edge of length)