The Missing Piece

Project Overview

In a project for ME 104: Mechanical Systems Design, I designed a part to fit within a testing rig — minimizing mass within constraints on loading, material, and manufacturing.

Processes/Tools

SOLIDWORKS, 3D Printing, Simple Models, FEA

My Role

This project mostly focused on how to analyze and design in cases of buckling and compression. I created initial sketches, performed back-of-the-envelope analysis, created FEA diagrams, and iteratively designed my component. The bottom portion was experiencing compression while the top was in tension, so I calculated necessary thickness in each of these sections in order to optimize mass and support the loading.