CAREER EPISODE 2

Excavator arm’s design Optimization through design and analysis

2.1 Introduction
Project Title: Modelling and Simulation of the excavator arm

Institution: Swathi Institute of Technology and Science

Location: India

Designation: Team Leader

Chronology: Insert

Supervisor: Insert

2.2 Background
2.2.1
Digging earth and moving earth materials is a very significant part of construction industry.
Construction industry is a large industry of economy of every country. To dig large amount of
earth material, excavators are used. They are equipment having arm for digging earth and
moving materials from ground to other vehicles or containers. Productivity of excavators is
higher than that of human. It increases efficiency and speed of construction. Excavator arm uses
hydraulic cylinders and pistons for actuating joints of the arm. Hydraulic pistons and cylinders
work based on the principle of Pascal’s law where area of pistons are varied for multiplying
force.
An excavator arm was designed and analyzed in this project. Parts of excavator arm like base,
boom, arm, bucket, stabilizer, cylinder and pistons were selected. Medium strength alloy steel
(ASTM – A 514) was selected for designing excavator arm because of its high strength.
Theoretical calculation of design of excavator arm were done manually. SolidWorks was used to
design 3D model of excavator arm. Design of arm, boom, bucket and complete assembly of
excavator arm were analyzed in ANSYS using FEA.
2.2.2 Objectives
Aim of project was designing and analyzing an excavator arm. The other objectives were:
 To increase bucket capacity of excavator arm for increasing its productivity.
 To determine suitable material for excavator arm.
2.2.3 Organizational Hierarchy
 Swathi Institute of Technology and Science

Faculty of Engineering & Technology

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Project Supervisor

Wasiuddin Ali Mohammed

Teammates
(team Leader)

Figure 1: Organizational Hierarchy

2.2.4 Duties
 To study about modeling and analysis of excavator arm in several research papers and
books.
 To choose components required for design.
 To determine excavator arm’s design parameters.
 To design 3D model of selected parts of excavator arm in SolidWorks.
 To analyze arm, boom and bucket of excavator arm in ANSYS.
2.3 PEA
2.3.1
I studied about modeling and analysis of excavator arm in several research papers and books. I
gained information about the parts of excavator arm like base, boom, arm, bucket, pins,
stabilizer, cylinder and piston. I gained knowledge about working mechanical of a piston
cylinder arrangement using Pascal’s law. I understood the working mechanism of the excavator
arm and the use of hydraulic piston and cylinder in excavator arm for actuating its joints. After
that, I learned to design parts of an excavator arm considering load acting on it. I also learned to
calculated bucket capacity using dimensions of bucket. Then I gained skill for creating CAD
model of excavator arm in SolidWorks. I also acquired skill for analyzing design of excavator
arm in ANSYS.
2.3.2
Then I chose components for excavator arm. I chose to design base, arm, boom, piston, cylinder,
stabilizer and bucket of excavator. Then I selected material for designing parts of excavator after
studying about several materials. I selected medium strength alloy steel (ASTM – A 514) having
ultimate strength of 690 N/mm2 for designing the parts of excavator because of its high strength.
After that, I selected SolidWorks for designing 3D model of parts of excavator selected. For
analyzing arm, boom and bucket of excavator using finite element analysis to study performance
parameters of the parts of excavator arm, I selected ANSYS software.
2.3.3
Then I calculated design parameters of excavator arm. Considering factor of safety of 5, I
determined allowable yield strength of excavator arm. Considering maximum lifting capacity of
excavator arm, I determined breakout force. I assumed dimensions of boom and stick. Then I
calculated bending moment on stick and determined length of stick using its bending moment
and breaking force. Similarly, I determined length of boom of excavator. After that, I calculated
diameter of pin using bending moment equation. Using dimension of bucket, I calculated dump
capacity of bucket excess capacity and total bucket capacity. Using dimensions of bucket and
working pressure, I determined curling force of bucket. Similarly, I calculated digging force of
bucket of excavator arm.
Calculation required
2.3.4
After that, I designed 3D model of selected parts of excavator arm in SolidWorks. I designed
base of excavator arm. I prepared 2D model of base and then converted to 3D. After that, I
created circular holes on base of excavator arm by using extruded cut feature. Similarly, I
designed arm of excavator. I provided rounded edges at extremities of arm. I created circular
holes on arm as well for connecting the arm to other parts of the excavator. Then I created model
of boom of excavator arm. I filleted the bend at mid portion of boom. I prepared surface model
for bucket of excavator arm and provided thickness to the bucket. I added hinges on top of the
bucket by extruding and created holes on the hinges. Similarly, I modeled piston, cylinder and
stabilizer of excavator arm. Then I assembled the parts of excavator arm. I fixed base and
attached boom to base. Then I attached bucket to arm and arm to boom of excavator arm. I
assembled cylinder and piston and the attached the assembly to base and boom, boom and arm,
and arm and bucket of excavator arm. I attached stabilizer between bucket and arm.
Design required
2.3.5
Then I analyzed arm, boom and bucket of excavator arm. I imported excavator arm to ANSYS.
Then I provided medium strength alloy steel (ASTM – A 514) to model of arm. I generated
meshing of arm. Then I assigned constraints of forces on excavator arm. After that, I analyzed
arm for studying equivalent strain, equivalent stress and total deformation of arm. I found
maximum equivalent stress, strain and maximum deformation arm to be 75.775 MPa, 0.000419
mm/mm and 1.007 mm respectively. Similarly, I analyzed boom, bucket and assembly of
excavator arm in ANSYS. I found maximum equivalent stress on arm, boom, bucket and
assembly of excavator arm to be within allowable stress of medium strength alloy steel (ASTM –
A 514). Also, I found deformation of the parts of excavator arm to be below permissible limit of
deformation.
Meshed Model required
Analysis required
2.4 Problem and solution
2.4.1
I found a problem in assembly of excavator arm. While inspecting assembly of excavator arm, I
found that range of motion for the arm was not sufficient for the operation of excavator arm. I
checked the assembly properly and found that it was due to limited length of piston and cylinder
of the arm. For solving the problem, I increased length of cylinder and piston of arm. Then I
assembled modified design of piston and cylinder with other parts of excavator arm. Then I
inspected the assembly of excavator arm in SolidWorks by moving the arm. I found that the arm
rotated full range of motion after modifying the length of piston and cylinder of the arm.
2.4.2
While analyzing bucket of excavator arm in ANSYS, I observed high stress at root of bucket
teeth. High stress could break the teeth of excavator bucket during digging process, thus I
optimized design of bucket of excavator arm. I studied about problems of high stress in tooth of
bucket of excavator arm and ways to decrease the stress. While reading several research papers, I
found that filleting the corner at root of tooth could decrease stress at the tooth. Then I modified
design of bucket of excavator arm by filleting at root of all teeth of excavator arm and analyzed
the modified bucket in ANSYS. I found that stress at root of tooth of excavator arm was
decreased and maximum equivalent stress was within allowable stress of medium strength alloy
steel (ASTM – A 514).
2.5 Creative activities
I designed design of excavator arm in SolidWorks. I also calculated the bucket capacity and
digging force and other design parameters of bucket of excavator arm. I analyzed structure of
excavator arm in ANSYS using finite element analysis. I increased length of cylinder and piston
of arm for allowing larger range of motion of arm. I filleted corner at root of tooth of bucket for
decreasing stress at the root of tooth of bucket.
2.6 Project Management
I managed to timely execute the project work through the use of different ideas and techniques
that were formed by me at the initial as well as project execution period. I completed the total
work by making small portions of the work and distributed it to my project team members for its
execution so that the entire work was completed at the time equal to one portion of the work. I
was able to acknowledge the issues face by my team member by making the constant
communication between them. I established a good relationship with my project supervisor and
my seniors so that I could obtained required help, guidance and suggestions at the time of project
execution. I managed to gather all of the members of project and conducted meetings at different
time intervals and knew about the progress of the project. I prepared the report through the help
of data and information collected throughout the phase of project execution and submitted to the
department.
2.7 Codes and Ethics
By following the ICS 35.240.10 for understanding the CAD. I used ICS 49.025.10 for
understanding about the steels.
2.8 Summary
The Project involved the designing of the excavator arm and then its simulation. By the time of
the project completion, the bucket capacity of the excavator arm was increased which also
resulted in the increment of the productivity. In the same way, the appropriate material is
determined as the medium strength alloy steel (ASTM – A 514). The components required for
the design of the excavator arms such as medium strength alloy steel were nominated according
the studies and researches conducted at the starting period of the project. The excavator arm’s
design was made in the SolidWorks. With the assistance of the simulation software called
ANSYS, the stress, deformation and strains developed in the design of the excavator arm under
the given loading conditions were observed. The observed results were found to be within the
permissible limit of the medium strength alloy steel. So, the model was approved to be safe.
I enhance the skills related to the time management and team coordination. I also increased my
communication skills.