Post Hole Digger: EDEM-OS Two Way Coupling
PrasadAvilala
Altair Employee
Altair EmployeeBackground:
A post hole digger is a drilling tool that uses a rotating helical blade to drill holes into the ground/soil. It's also known as a tractor screw auger or earth auger:
- The auger has a metal blade or bit with a helical, spiral shape
- The blade rotates, acting like a screw to pull material upward as it drills into the surface
- The auger is attached to a tractor's power take-off (PTO) shaft, which transfers power from the tractor's engine to the auger
Applications:
- Digging post holes for fences, telephone poles, or solar posts
- Drilling holes for soil sampling or collecting groundwater
- Boring holes for planting trees
- Tilling garden beds
- Digging irrigation trenches
Problem Statement:
In this exercise soil drilling using EDEM-OS two-way coupling is demonstrated to analyze
- Hole drilling in soil
- Structural strength of the post hole digger/screw auger
- Screw auger wear
Key Points to be Noted:
- The CAD model chosen in the simulation is a simplified, generic and a representative model.
- A non-calibrated material model is chosen.
- A linear steel material is assigned to blade.
Prerequisites:
EDEM-OS two-way coupling supports the software version specified below or later versions
- EDEM – 2024.1
- OptiStruct – 2024.1
- SimLab – 2024.1
EDEM Setup:
SimLab Setup:
Simulation Results:
Summary:
Altair EDEM simulation for post hole digger allows to:
- To obtain the force required to drill hole in various bulk materials
- Identify wear zones of the screw auger
- Perform virtual repetitive testing under the same conditions every time
- Improve performance and durability of every design
- Increase accuracy compared to traditional approaches
- Virtually test new equipment performance in a range of material operating conditions
- Avoid expensive & limiting physical prototyping Increase accuracy compared to traditional approaches
- Perform virtual repetitive testing – under the same conditions every time
Simulation Files:
CAD:
FEM Input:
EDEM Deck:
SimLab Setup:
If you are looking for further information on EDEM or other Altair products we have plenty more on the Altair Community:
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