Heavy Equipment Product Redesign
Led the mechanical design and structural optimization of a new industrial equipment line, reducing material cost while improving load capacity.
Problem
A legacy line of industrial lifting equipment was losing market share due to its heavy weight and high manufacturing costs. The challenge was to reduce the overall weight by 15% without compromising the 5-ton load capacity.
Approach
We started with a topological optimization approach. By simulating the extreme load cases using Ansys, we identified “dead zones” in the cast steel components where material wasn’t contributing to structural integrity.
Solution
I redesigned the primary load-bearing chassis using a combination of hollow extrusions and strategically placed ribbing. The design was entirely modeled in SolidWorks, utilizing advanced surfacing techniques for the cast components to ensure manufacturability.
Results
- Reduced overall weight by 18%, exceeding the target.
- Lowered manufacturing material costs by 12%.
- Maintained a safety factor of 3.0 across all critical load paths.
Project imagery not available
Visuals for this project are confidential or pending publication.
Technologies & Tools
The hardware and software stack used to bring this project to life.
Let's Build Something Amazing
Need help with Mechanical Design, Automation, Electronics, AI Solutions, or Web Applications? Let's collaborate to bring your ideas to life.