Harmonics - Eliminating/Instigating Cacophony using FEA

The majority of companies that integrate vibrating equipment in their designs face tough challenges to overcome harmful deflections originating from resonance. In such cases, it becomes imperative that the design team either use physical prototypes and shaker tables to evaluate the design integrity or to simulate such behavior virtually.

I put together a case-study on a model to show how harmonic analysis can be easily performed on SOLIDWORKS geometry using SOLIDWORKS Simulation (previously called COSMOS). The tool can help isolate the harmful frequencies in the operating range of the excitation source such as a motor. The user can suitably alter the design based upon the response pattern indicated by Simulation.

Interestingly enough, there is another application for harmonics – where companies desire large deflections. For instance, a company manufacturing sieves would design their automated equipment to operate at frequencies that instigate resonance. Resonance would cause large deflections, and hence help the sieve to sift material through. SOLIDWORKS Simulation would also help understand what the resonating frequencies of the design are, and the resulting deflections because of resonance.

Making the right choice in operating ranges can make a world of a difference between a good design, and a chattering, loud, ready-to-break-down design!!