Quote:
Originally Posted by ,4lex S.
A note on FEA:
Just because it is in your program doesn't mean you should use it.
Unless you have someone adequately trained advising and explaining how it is done, the information that the program spits out can be unreliable. You have to know how to structure your mesh properly, choose appropriate elements, and know the limitations of what FEA can and can't reasonably do.
I recommend that you try to figure out other ways of calculating part deformations in your robot if possible, although sheet is often a problem with that. Given the size of robot parts, I suggest you get a sheet sponsor who really believes in the education aspect of the program to make you some test pieces such that you can guage the strength of different profiles before you build your final robot.
Beyond that advice, you can always overdesign and iterate down until its lighter.
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Autodesk has an awesome (new?) program out: Algor. I worked with our engineering mentors, and it gave similar results to the analysis done on their program (blanking on the name). Also, I then re-ran the simulation in Inventor and got the same results. This was with 3/32 and 1/16 sheet.
Any mechanical engineering mentor should be able to help you out with Algor should you decide to use it.