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Project Background
This aircraft rudder clamp was designed and assessed as part of a final project for Finite Element Methods (FEM) course taught by Dr. Jagannatha Rao. The objective was to modify a provided simple 3D clamp, apply a loading condition, and perform a linear static analysis of the structure using COMSOL. As a practical exercise, I devised a fictional scenario regarding the clamp that dictated its shape, boundary, and loading conditions.
Loading Scenario
The clamp is an aluminum anchor on the rear rudder of a small aircraft. It is attached to a hydraulic piston that controls the pitch of the rudder by pulling or pushing on the rudder via the pin slot on the clamp.
Skills Developed:
CAD: Autodesk Fusion 360 & SolidWorks
Finite Element Analysis (FEA): COMSOL & Autodesk Simulation
Autodesk Generative Design
Provided Clamp
Simple 40mm x 60mm base with two 50mm long clamp ends 10mm thick and spaced 10mm apart with 20mm holes
Modified Clamp
Optimized aluminum body using Autodesk generative design with four anchor attachment holes, filleted corners, and a 40mm gap between clamp ends
Boundary Conditions
A horizontal 500N is representative of the force of a hydraulic piston while the 4 base holes remain fixed as if bolted to the rudder
Von Misses Stress
Maximum Von Misses Stress of 8.27 MPa at the base of the clamp with the top of the clamp deflecting 0.19 mm, validating the design
My design
The modified clamp is made out of aluminum for its strength to weight ratio and relatively low cost with of four 10mm anchor holes, a wider 40mm gap between the two clamp ends, and filleted edges. As the clamp will be used on an aircraft, the top edges were rounded and unnecessary material at the bottom base of the clamp was removed in order to save weight. While the edges in contact with the base plate are filleted to reduce stress concentration. As the piston draws inward, lifting the rudder up, it exerts a tangential horizontal force onto the inner surface of the clamp via the pin that causes the rudder to rotate. A force of 500N was used to represent the total applied force by the piston onto the clamp with the base bolted to rudder (simulated as fixed constrained holes).
FEM Final Project.pdfPage updated
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