overhung load 1

[Marklynn]

I am using CosmosExpress and don't have a lot of experience with it yet. Because I can only analyze one part at a time, I have created a single part to represent a bolted assembly of four same material components. I am trying to determine stress from an overhung load. I have applied a load of 50 lbs down on 2 gussets which are joined to a vertical plate, which is joined to a carrier that moves vertically. The gussets are horizontal, and perpendicular to the plate and carrier. The gussests and plate are basically blocks, and the carrier has some thickness variations.

The way I see it, since the carrier is fastened to bearings on a vertical plane that allow it to move vertically, my only restraint should be the vertical face where the bearings attach. Since the gussets are carrying the load, the top face of the gussets should be my only load. Since I want to simulate a 100 lb load, I have assigned 50 lbs to each gusset.

My questions are:

1. Are my assumptions of load and restraint locations correct?
2. Can CosmoExpress reliably calculate the stress and deformation of the carrier if the entire assembly has been modeled as one part?

 

[corus]

You'd get the wrong answers because of the bolted joint. Because you've effectively tied the whole bolted surfaces together then the moment that is applied will give the wrong 'footprint' of reaction forces. How big the error will be will depend on the bolt spacing in relation to the plate carrying the load from the gusset that has been tied. Personally I've seen the same method of tieing bolted surfaces together rather than using contact. Just recognise the method you've used in your final report and comment on the significance of it in your own opinion.

corus