Finite Element Analysis
SRI specialises in using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tools in consulting work and during research investigations.
Our clients benefit from our skill with FEA through:
- Identification of problems at an early stage of operation, preferably even before a prototype is built; and
- Effective costing of options to result in an acceptable stress level (long component life) at the lowest cost.
Our capabilities using FEA tools include:
- Investigations into sugar cane bin design;
- Determination of stress concentrations in mill roll shafts and tailbars; and
- The design of support structures for sugar mill equipment.
We specialise in the ABAQUS Finite Element Analysis
package because of its usefulness in complex cases involving high deformation.
SRI has used this package to model the crushing of sugar cane in a milling unit, using the contact and non-linear geometry and material capabilities of the software.
Most recently, it has aided SRI in understanding factors that affect feeding and throughput in an Australian six-roll milling unit. In supporting the development of milling models, the simulation of simple laboratory tests allows the identification of shortcomings in the models.