Lightweight Design (Leichtbau)

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Kröger

Institut für Maschinenelemente, Konstruktion und Fertigung
Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg

4. Lightweight design principles (Leichtbau-Prinzipien)

This chapter focus on the options which a designer of a machine or a vehicle etc. has to
reduce the weight of the product. Here 4 principles are discussed:

• The concept lightweight principle (Konzeptleichtbau) which looks in the early design
phase on the influence of different concepts on the resulting mass of the product,
• The force lightweight principle (Kraftleichtbau) discusses the possibilities to influence
the design dominating forces and the assumed forces for safety calculations. Further,
it thinks about how the forces can be transferred most efficient to reduce the mass,
• The shape lightweight principle (Formleichtbau) is focused on the component design
and try to find shapes with minimum mass carrying the necessary load,
• The material lightweight principle (Stoffleichtbau) combined with the production
lightweight principle (Fertigungsleichtbau) discuss the used material in close
combination with the question how the lightweight designed parts can be produced.
The lightweight aims have to be considered in all steps of the development process which is
well defined by VDI guideline (Richtlinie) 2221. Fig. 4.0-1 show the main tasks of a design
process which are

• Define of aim (Klären der Aufgabenstellung),

• Concept searching (Konzipieren),
• Designing (Entwerfen),
• Detailed drawing (Ausarbeiten).

Fig. 4.0-1: Steps of development process based on VDI 2221 [Kröger]

The definition of the aim of a planned development process should analyse the market, the
requests of the customers and the general and legal requirement and development trends.
During the concept searching the list of requirements has to be fixed. Then, typically the
function is separated in different subfunction in a function structure. Afterwards, principles of
partial solutions for the subfunctions has to be found. Different combinations of the partial
solutions build concepts which have to be technical and economical rated to find the best
solution.
The third main step is the designing which results in a preliminary scaled draft. In the last
step detail drawings for production of all single parts will be done as well as the prototype
testing.
4.1 Concept lightweight principle (Konzept-Leichtbau)
The concept lightweight principle considers the lightweight aims during the concept
searching. In this early step of product development process the main work is to find partial
solutions and combinations with small mass. Usually the designer search for surprisingly
simple but convenient solution instead of a very complex, sophisticated solution. With the
detail construction a poor concept will not result in a nice lightweight product.
Frequently simple solutions are difficult to
find. Never the less, after they are found,
they should be patented, because they are
easy to understand and to copy. Sometimes
other people will not understand that a
simple solution could build a very innovative
product. Historical this is often connected to
the story of ‘Egg of Columbus’. Some
people told Columbus, that it was simple to
discovery America. Columbus uses
therefore an analogy and ask the people to
place an egg on the table avoiding that it
drops. His solution is shown in Fig. 4.1-1. It
is simple, and optimal lightweight designed
to place the egg with some force on the
table and not to need an egg cup.
Columbus told afterwards: Fig. 4.1-1: Concept ‘Egg of Columbus’
‘ You could have done it, but I did it!’ [Kröger]

Therefore, the main question for a designer is to have innovative but simple ideas to solve
the requirements. In the following some frequently used general concepts will be discussed
to give some ideas:
a) Continuous movement instead of cyclical movement,
b) Modular structure with optional functions,
c) Lightweight energy source,
d) Lightweight power transmission to the track.
a) Continuous movement concept (Konzept kontinuierlicher Bewegungen)
One concept is to search for solutions which fulfil the requirements using continuous
movements instead of cycling. Therefore, often a new process will be developed instead a
direct mechanization of the old manual process. One nice example is the pronging
(Umgraben) of farmland for soil loosening. The manual process using a spade (Spaten)
could be 1:1 mechanized. This will result in a complicated, heavy machine with many motor
drives. A surprisingly simple solution of the aim is a plough (Pflug) which only need a
continuous linear movement. Tab. 4.1-1 shows a number of examples of cyclic and
continuous concepts.
Table 4.1-1: Examples of cyclic and continuous concepts
Application Cyclic Concept Continuous concept
Soil loosening Spade Plough
(Erdlockerung) (Spaten) (Pflug)
Movement of vehicles Walking legs Wheel undercarriage
(Fortbewegung) (Schreitwerk) (Räderfahrwerk)
Ships Paddle Propeller, paddle wheel
(Schiffe) (Paddel) (Propeller, Schaufelrad)
Fuel engines Piston engine Turbine, Wankel engine
(Verbrennungsantrieb) (Kolbenmotor) (Turbine, Wankelmotor)
Grind Mortar Mill, mixer
(Mahlen) (Mörser) (Mühle, Mixer)
Saw Hand saw, jigsaw Circular saw
(Sägen) (Handsäge, Stichsäge) (Kreissäge)
Transport Truck Conveyor belt
(Beförderung) (LKW) (Förderband)
Forming Press Rolling mill
(Umformung) (Presse) (Walzwerk)

The movement of vehicles is usually not efficient by walking with single steps, which needs
legs and cyclic movements. In most cases a rolling wheel with a continuous rotation will be
simpler and will need less mass. Such applications can be frequently found like cars,
bicycles or trains. In the same direction, movement on water will be realised for ships by a
propeller (continuous rotation) or historical paddle-wheel instead of a paddle (cyclic motion),
see Fig. 4.1-2. Piston engines fulfil cyclic movement and need large balancing mass.
Continuous engines are turbines or Wankel engines. The Wankel engine has smaller mass
than piston engines but has some further problems.

Fig. 4.1-2: Example of cyclic and continuous concepts: paddle and paddle wheel [Kröger]
2016, 2017
b) Modular structure concept (Konzept modularer Strukturen)
One problem of designer is the brought range of requirements. Often not all requirements are
needed or of interest for the same customer. Then it could be useful to fulfil these
requirements only for the customers who has interest on this feature. Therefore, the systems
should have a modular structure. Optional functions could be integrated in the system or
solved by additional subsystems. Two typical examples are a trailer coupling
(Anhängerkupplung) of a car or a DVD player (DVD Laufwerk) of a laptop. A trailer coupling
will be integrated in the car and increases the car mass by 10-20 kg especially due to
changes in the car structure. The DVD player can be integrated in a usual PC easily also
later on. For a laptop it will be an additional device.
The concept defines which feature will be standard for the product, which could be integrated
in a modular structure, which could be an additional device and which will be not realised. An
interesting example is an electric boot lid (Kofferraumklappe) which increases the car mass
significantly due to a necessary stiffening of the roof to transfer the moments. The position of
the additional mass is very high and at the back end of the car which has also negative
influence of the handling performance. This is difficult to design in a modular structure
without increasing the mass of all cars. Therefore, it might be useful to skip this feature.
c) Lightweight concept for energy source (Energiequellenkonzept)
Specially for mobile applications and vehicles it is of high relevance to find a lightweight
concept for the energy source. Therefore, it is useful to compare the energy density
(Energiedichte) of different energy sources resp. energy storages, see Tab. 4.1-2. The
results show clearly the actual problem of the e-mobility: The energy densities of all batteries
are much smaller than of fuels like diesel or petrol. Therefore, the car batteries are very
heavy to reach high distances, which reduces the reachable distances or increases the
battery mass again.
For compressed air and hydrogen (H2) it has to be considered that the necessary container
has the dominant mass of this energy sources. Further, especially for gasiform energy
sources and batteries the volumetric energy density is poor, which results in large container
and, therefore, in design problems. A disadvantage of fuels are the high energy losses of the
engine.
Table 4.1-2: Energy density of energy sources and energy storages, cp. [Wikipedia]

Energy source resp. storage Energy density [MJ/kg]

Electrolytic capacitor (Kondensator) 0.0004
Lead acid battery (Bleiakku) 0.11
Compressed air 0.46
Li-Ion battery 0.65
Petrol (Benzin) 40
Diesel 43
Hydrogen (H2) 120
 During the development process the energy source concept is
combined with the engine concept, which has to transfer the
energy of the energy source in mechanical energy. The energy
source and engine concept will be explained by the example
drilling.
A hand drilling machine (Bohrmaschine) will have an electrical
motor using a cable (limited mobility) or a battery (increased
mass or limited performance). Drilling machines in underground
mining use often compressed air as energy source. Drilling
machines with combustion engines using fuel could be found
e.g. to build earth holes. Very large earth holes could be realised
by Kelly drilling, see Fig. 4.1-3. They are used for concrete pile
foundation of buildings or wind power stations. Kelly drilling
realises diameters of e.g. 2 m and drilling depths of e.g. 20 m or
even more. The drilling motor uses hydraulic fluid as an energy
source. The hydraulic motor realise very high torque.

A classic energy source for small holes in wood or earth will be

Fig. 4.1-3: Kelly drilling
handcraft, resulting in very simple, small, robust, cheap and
machine [Kröger] 2016
lightweight tools.

Table 4.1-3: Examples of energy sources for drilling and fields of application

Energy source for drilling Fields of application

Electrical energy via cable Hand drill, drilling machine
Electrical energy by battery Hand drill
Compressed air Drilling in underground mining
Fuel Earth Auger (Erdlochbohrer)
Hydraulic fluid Kelly drilling for concrete pile foundation
Handcraft Manual hand drilling

d) Lightweight concept for power transmission to the track (Antriebskonzept)

An interesting question for lightweight design is the concept of power transmission to the
track. One question is the coupling of the engine to the front or rear axle. With a front engine
the shafts to the front axle is quite short and lightweight, whereas the cardan shaft
(Kardanwelle) to the rear axle increases the car mass. Complicated is the connection of the
shaft with the front wheels due to the steering of the front axle. Therefore, a rear motor with a
coupling to the rear axle could be a good lightweight design concept. One problem might be
the small load at the front axle of this concept.
Another concept could be a four-wheel drive (Allradantrieb). Due to shafts to front and rear
axle and two differential gears this increases vehicle mass and energy consumption
significantly but result in better acceleration properties. Surprisingly this can’t be transferred
to trains. Here the classical solution is a very heavy locomotive and a large number of
wagons. To get enough traction the mass of the locomotive has to be increased. In this
application the distribution of drives on the single wagons can result in a lightweight design,
which is used in railcars (Triebwagen), like the ICE 3. Four of the eight wagons of ICE 3 has
distributed underground drives, which results in a reduction of mass and more seats in
respect to the train length.
Exercises:
a) Think about further bulk material (Schüttgut) transport concepts! Which of them are
cyclic and which continuous?
b) Think about applications of modular systems, e.g. of photo cameras?
c) Find five solutions for the energy source of a vacuum cleaner (Staubsauger)?
d) Which concepts of power transmission is possible for a pedelec (manual and
electrical powered bike)?