Meeting fatigue targets without over-designing -
Components subjected to dynamic loads must operate fail-safe over the expected lifetime of the product without being overdesigned, which adds needless weight and cost. Products with welded joints, thin panels and sheet-metal parts that undergo cycle loading are particularly vulnerable to fatigue issues.
When solving fatigue problems, LMS Engineering Services first calculates and evaluates the actual loading conditions components are subjected to during their lifetime. Subsequently, numerical fatigue life simulation using
measured loads helps us determine the optimal design modifications that ensure parts meet durability targets.
This approach allows us to evaluate multiple geometry and material changes quickly and inexpensively. To speed
up the process we use test cycle compression methods to experimentally verify the durability of the final design.
Once fatigue targets are met, further optimization reducing production costs and material can be considered.
Involving LMS Engineering Services early in the design of a new product means that durability optimization can
be performed on individual components as well as on the entire system. Simulation models are used to evaluate
and compare different system-level designs in reducing component loads under expected operating conditions.
The hybrid approach uses the most reliable model and load data throughout the design process - combining the reliability from test with the flexibility and costefficiency of virtual modeling.
