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Overview
Overview
Worked in a group to analyze the mechanical behavior of a scissor jack under two loading scenarios using SolidWorks Simulation. The goal was to assess how both load magnitude and load position influence stress concentration and displacement. This helped us identify realistic failure points in common automotive lifting equipment.
Scenarios
Scenarios
Stress vs Load Magnitude
How does stress evolve as we increase the vertical force on the jack?
Load range: 2000 N to 16000 N
Focused on screw and top plate componentsDisplacement vs Load Offset
What happens when the jack is used improperly with the load off-center?
Offset varied across the top plate from center (50%) to edge (0%)
Simulation Setup
Simulation Setup
Software: SolidWorks Simulation
Materials: Everything is modeled using AISI 1020 Steel, except for the drive screw, stationary trunnion, and drive trunnion, which are made from AISI 1045 Steel to account for their higher strength and critical load-bearing roles.
Mesh: Tetrahedral mesh with 246,524 nodes and 150,342 elements, generated using the standard mesh size in SolidWorks Simulation
Boundary Conditions:
Scenario 1: Base fixed with a distributed vertical load applied to the top plate
Scenario 2: Base fixed with a distributed load along the bottom of the pinch weld, simulating offset loading conditions
Results
Results
Scenario 1: Stress vs Load Magnitude
Test Setup
Vertical load applied to the center of the top plate
Load increased incrementally from 2000 N to 16,000 N
What We Measured
Von Mises stress in structural components
Focus on stress concentration in the drive screw
Key Results
Stress rose linearly with increasing forc
At 16,000 N, stress reached approximately 552 N/m2 in the screw
This approaches the yield strength of AISI 1045 Steel
Conclusion
The drive screw is the critical failure point
Confirms the load limit of a typical scissor jack
FEA validated the structural performance under proper loading
Scenario 2: Displacement vs Load Offset
Test Setup
Constant vertical load of 9000 N applied to the top plate
Load position shifted from the center (50%) to the edge (0%)
What We Measured
Displacement of the jack’s top plate under offset loading
Relationship between load position and deformation
Key Results
Centered load (50% offset): 0.0074 in displacement
Edge load (0% offset): 0.0234 in displacement
Displacement increased linearly as load moved away from center
Conclusion
Off-center loading causes greater deformation
Demonstrates structural instability under improper jack placement
Reinforces importance of aligning the jack properly for safe use
Displacement with pinch weld in the center
Displacement with pinch weld on the edge
Mesh Convergence
Mesh Convergence
Test Setup
Load applied: 9000 N on the top plate
Scenario 1 was chosen because stress at this load was near the yield strength of AISI 1045 Steel
What We Did
Tested mesh levels from 1 to 9
Compared stress results to see if they stabilized as mesh density increased
What We Found
Stress values remained relatively constant after mesh level 5
No major accuracy gains from using finer meshes
Results showed we were in the convergence region
Conclusion
A lower mesh setting would be sufficient
Saves simulation time and energy without sacrificing accuracy
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
This project demonstrated how proper versus improper use of a scissor jack impacts its structural performance. Through doing this project, I gained hands-on experience with finite element analysis (FEA) in SolidWorks, including CAD modeling, meshing strategies, load/constraint setup, and interpreting von Mises stress and displacement results. I also developed skills in identifying critical failure points, evaluating material limits, and communicating engineering results through data visualization and technical reporting. Together, these skills strengthened both my technical design toolkit and my ability to translate simulation results into practical engineering insights.
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