The growing demands for structural strength, safety, and cost optimization in the mechanical engineering and manufacturing industries have made CAE simulation an important part of product development.
Recently, Vietbay successfully implemented Simcenter 3D Structural (Linear & Nonlinear) for a customer specializing in the design and manufacture of industrial forklifts, helping improve design efficiency and product reliability.
1. Challenges: Forklift Structural Analysis
Forklifts are mechanical systems that operate under heavy loads and a wide range of operating conditions. Components such as the lifting frame, forks, and mast assembly must meet multiple structural requirements, including:
- Withstanding high static and dynamic loads
- Maintaining fatigue strength under repeated operating cycles
- Limiting deformation that could affect stability
- Complying with stringent safety standards
- Preventing structural failure under actual operating loads
During manufacturing and load testing, some product components may still experience damage or fracture. This indicates that traditional calculations and physical testing alone may not be sufficient to fully evaluate structural performance.
Key challenges include:
- High testing costs
- Long product development cycles
- Difficulty evaluating nonlinear phenomena, such as:
- Contact interactions
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- Large deformations
- Nonlinear material behavior
- Hyperelastic materials, such as rubber
2. Solution: Applying Simcenter 3D Structural
To address these challenges, Vietbay implemented Simcenter 3D structural analysis modules, enabling the customer to evaluate both linear and nonlinear structural behavior.
2.1. Linear Analysis
Linear analysis enables rapid evaluation of structural behavior under specified loading conditions, focusing on:
- Assessing the overall structural strength of the forklift frame
- Identifying areas of high stress concentration
- Evaluating stiffness and deformation levels
2.2. Nonlinear Analysis
Nonlinear analysis supports the evaluation of more complex structural behavior, including:
- Simulating contact interactions between components
- Analyzing large deformations when lifting maximum loads
- Evaluating material behavior in the plastic deformation range and the behavior of rubber materials
- Simulating realistic loading scenarios, such as lifting loads, braking, and uneven load distribution
3. Key Highlights of the Implementation
The project focused not only on deploying the software but also on establishing a CAE workflow tailored to the customer’s actual engineering challenges.
Vietbay provided:
- Software training and usage guidance
- Analysis support for the customer’s specific products
- Boundary condition setup that reflects actual operating conditions
- Reduced simulation time through the use of powerful solvers
In particular, combining linear and nonlinear analysis gives the customer a more comprehensive basis for evaluating structural performance under different loading conditions. This helps to:
- Shorten design iteration cycles
- Reduce the number of physical tests required
- Improve the accuracy of failure predictions
4. Results Achieved
Following implementation, Simcenter 3D Structural helped the customer achieve several important outcomes:
- Reduced prototype testing costs
- Shortened product development time
- Improved forklift safety and reliability
Read more:
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5. Value Vietbay Delivers to Customers
With experience implementing CAE solutions, Vietbay provides more than software. The company works alongside customers to support practical adoption and application, offering:
- Consulting on simulation applications suited to specific needs
- Solution implementation tailored to specific engineering challenges
- Specialized technical support
- Training and technology transfer for engineering teams
The application of Simcenter 3D to forklift structural analysis demonstrates the role of CAE simulation in optimizing product development. It also provides a practical approach for mechanical engineering companies seeking to improve design efficiency and gradually integrate simulation into their product development workflows.
This project’s success demonstrates Vietbay’s implementation capabilities while providing a practical reference for mechanical engineering companies looking to improve product development efficiency.
Contact Vietbay –Siemens’ authorized software distribution partner in Vietnam – for a consultation tailored to your engineering requirements.
