Component optimization

For companies, this results in demands for shorter development times and shorter times between product idea and market launch. The use of suitable CAE tools is mandatory for this. The costs of a component are already largely determined during the design phase. In the context of component optimization, an attempt should therefore be made to approach the optimum design. The extent to which a component should be optimized depends on the general conditions. Here, too, effort and benefit should be in reasonable proportion.

Subject
merkle-partner-optimisation

The goals of component optimization at a glance

merkle-partner-bauteiloptimierung
  • Reduce weight
  • Minimize material costs
  • Reduce assembly costs, e.g. by selecting the optimum number of screw connections
  • Checking the suitability of alternative materials (the strength and vibration properties must meet the required operating conditions for the promised service life)
  • much more

Component optimization process

Merkle & Partner uses all common in-house methods to solve a wide variety of tasks.

Topology optimization


Topology optimization means to distribute an available mass within a defined space in such a way that a certain objective function reaches its extremum. In practice, topology optimization is used in the design process to obtain proposals for initial designs of components. In this process, the designer must first consider the maximum available design space and the boundary conditions (loads and restraints). These data are converted into an FE model (FE = finite elements). In this process, topology optimization often requires reducing the volume of the FE model so that its stiffness is maximized. Maximizing the stiffness is equivalent to minimizing the total strain energy. Since topology optimization requires material to be removed from the model being optimized, this is done by changing the stiffness of the individual finite elements, so the stiffness of the FE can be considered a design variable. Elements that need to be "deleted" have zero stiffness and density. Load-bearing elements have the maximum material-dependent stiffness and density. During a topology optimization, the stiffness of the elements is changed until the desired volume or weight reduction is achieved and the total strain energy is minimal.

Design of Experiments (DoE)


Design of experiments (DOE) is used in the development and optimization of products or processes and can also be used to optimize components using the finite element method. With the statistical design of experiments, the influencing factors and interactions on the target variables are determined while minimizing the number of experiments. The magnitude of the effects is also determined, which makes it possible to optimize the processes under investigation. The evaluation is based on main influence diagrams, interaction diagrams and Pareto diagrams for the individual parameters and their combinations. With the main influence diagrams a further optimization can be done afterwards.

Behavioural Modeling Extension (BMX)


In Behaviour Modeling, stochastic parameter combinations are generated with the optimization parameters, calculated and sorted with respect to the required optimum. This can involve several thousand automated calculation runs, for which only certain parameters are evaluated in tabular form. By sorting the results, it is possible to determine the areas in which certain target parameters are optimal.

Bead optimization


Beads are channel-like depressions or elevations in flat or curved sheet metal surfaces, where the depth to length is small. Beads increase the bending stiffnesses of a sheet, but weaken the longitudinal stiffnesses. Beading is a widely used method for stiffening sheet metal, although the effects are often very difficult to predict. With bead optimization, the shape of the beads can be designed optimally so that the required properties of a sheet metal structure can be set.

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