Plastic Tray on Steel Frame
Performed “forensic” FEA to determine why a newly designed product line was failing in certain Rooftop climates.
Client was assuming plastic was “failing”, but simulation proved it was design (stress) problem because they did not accommodate Plastic/Metal differential thermal expansion/contraction!
- Thermal/Structural FEA
- FEA reproduced the failures on these 14′ assemblies
- Ascertained that manufacturing variations were not solely responsible for failures. Client to redesign connections to allow some motion.