LMAPR2020: Second homework on the basics

Practical details for report:

Questions are to be answered per team.

Report should be no longer than 5 pages.

Upload the file to the corresponding homework on Gradescope by 03/03 11.59 pm. During the submis-
sion process, please indicate your group mates, and indicate which question appears on which page.

Accepted formats: PDF or clean and readable scan of handwritten report compiled in a single PDF.

Answer the following questions:

1. Choose an object of your own and give its specifications.
• Groups A to D: object should deal with thermal problematic
• Groups E to I object should deal with mechanical problematic
• Groups J to M: object should deal with electrical problematic
2. For the function ‘panel’, derive the material indices that arise from the ‘stability constraint’ for the
same objective of minimizing the mass. Compare them to the material indices for a tie and a beam
and discuss their differences/similarities.

3. In the case of simple structural parts, such as ties and beams described in the chapter, the material
selection procedure can quite easily be applied. Albeit simple, they are fundamental and often reoccur
in more complex structures. Hence, here, you are asked to consider a torsion bar for which strength or
toughness is crucial. Identify an object (or a part of an assembly), determine its function, a constraint,
an objective and a geometric free variable. Then, apply the material selection approach to derive the
material index and use the EduPack software in order to make your final selection(s).
4. If an objective of minimizing the mass is replaced by the objective of minimizing the cost, the corre-
sponding material index invariably changes in the same way. Explain.
5. Choose one of the following objects and select the best material for it. Keep it simple, focus on 1
material index. (i) Write down the full specifications of your object, (ii) detail your hypotheses and
calculations for performance index derivation, (iii) show the material chart and selection. (iv) Don’t
forget to discuss your final result.
(a) a railway track (only consider the rails)
(b) a torsion spring of a pen

1
Figure 1: Rails and spring of a pen (Question 5)