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Optimization of fabricated bracket

At my company we often design fabricated steel brackets to support engine-mounted components.

I would like to ask if there is any advice on how Inspire could be used to optimise the design to meet a natural frequency target.

In general the brackets are made of several flat or formed pieces of steel welded together.

The thicknesses of the various parts are typically the same for supplier convenience.

We have an established workflow for optimising the shape of cast parts but not fabrications.

Many thanks!

Fabricated bracket.png

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Inspire

v2022.2.0

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Adriano_Koga

Inspire is a nice tool for achieving this. You have an option of constraining the 1st mode frequency.

And additionally, for casting parts, you could use the shape controls to add manufacturing constraints into your design, such as draw direction.

Philip Peake

Hi Adriano, yes, I understand how to optimise the form of a casting to meet a natural frequency target. My question related to fabricated assemblies made from pieces of steel plate - is there a way of using Inspire to optimise these please?

Adriano_Koga

Hi Adriano, yes, I understand how to optimise the form of a casting to meet a natural frequency target. My question related to fabricated assemblies made from pieces of steel plate - is there a way of using Inspire to optimise these please?

i'm sorry, wht you mean exactly by 'fabricated assemblies made from pieces of steel plate'?

Philip Peake

i'm sorry, wht you mean exactly by 'fabricated assemblies made from pieces of steel plate'?

If you look at the picture I attached to the original question it shows a bracket made by welding pieces of steel together.

Adriano_Koga

If you look at the picture I attached to the original question it shows a bracket made by welding pieces of steel together.

there's no specific manufacturing option for welded parts. But the idea is to run a couple optimization runs, maybe even without manufacturing constraints, and from the result, adjust the reinforcements into welded plates.

You could use draw direction or extrusion constraints for some parts to get better behaved results.

Also there is a stamping constraint that allows you to defined a base thickness that might be kept in the end.

Philip Peake

there's no specific manufacturing option for welded parts. But the idea is to run a couple optimization runs, maybe even without manufacturing constraints, and from the result, adjust the reinforcements into welded plates.

You could use draw direction or extrusion constraints for some parts to get better behaved results.

Also there is a stamping constraint that allows you to defined a base thickness that might be kept in the end.

OK Adriano, thanks for your help.