Design of a Large Planetary Stranding Machine through MultiBody Simulation and Finite Element Analysis: a Successful Case of Collaboration and Innovation

Giorgio Pirovano

Mario Frigerio

 

Stranding and closing planetary machines are huge equipments conceived to twist, at noticeable speed, multiple heavy spools of strand, in order to manufacture large section steel ropes. Mario Frigerio, which is one of the most reliable brand in the sector of multi-wire treatment systems, has requested EnginSoft’s collaboration to design a brand-new machine, which had to meet high-demanding specifications.

The first phase has consisted in an overall extensive dynamical assessment of the equipment. By combining Mario Frigerio’s in-ground experience and EnginSoft’s skills in multibody simulation, it has been possible to investigate the machine response through the entire working cycle of the machine, and considering multiple loading conditions. This simulation campaign returned a large database, which was finally processed to extract key values of loads and speeds.

The most severe loading cases were easily identified, allowing Mario Frigerio’s technicians to choose the size of electric motors and pneumatic brakes that satisfy the specifications, with adequate margin. Moreover, peak values of dynamical loads were used in Finite Element models of the components, for a complete structural assessment.

Quality and reliability of both MBD and FEM outputs have brought to an overall reduction in the number of design iterations. CAE approach has led to a valuable time saving, that offered an advantage to MarioFrigerio to win the competition with other supplier of planetary machines.

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