Finite Element AnalysisDec 2019FEA Engineer

Bicycle Bracket & Bridge Optimisation

Mass, stress, and vibration reduction with FEA

Optimised mass and vibration behaviour of a bicycle bracket and a bridge using Altair Hypermesh. Mesh-convergence studies, von Mises stress and displacement analysis, topology optimisation, and topography work to raise the natural-frequency threshold and cut material.

−33%Bracket Mass

−53.7%Bridge Mass

+23%Nat. Freq.

The Problem & Engineering Constraint

The Core Challenge

Both components needed lower mass without losing a high safety factor, and the bicycle bracket needed a higher natural-frequency threshold to avoid resonance.

Technical Architecture & Approach

Engineering Solution & Implementation

Mechanically designed the parts in Altair Hypermesh, ran mesh-convergence studies, then FEA for von Mises stress, displacement, and vibration. Topology optimisation reduced material; topography optimisation raised natural frequency. Supervisor: CEng. Omid Razmkhah. Team: Arkaan Quanunga, Rohit Singh.

Meshed bicycle bracket with load and constraint annotations — Hypermesh model — forces, moments, and mesh on the bicycle bracket

Vibration mode contour plot — Vibration / mode analysis used to raise the natural-frequency threshold

Measured Production Impact

Verified Outcomes & Deliverables

Reduced material cost of the bracket by 33% and the bridge by 53.66% while keeping a high safety factor.

Increased the bicycle-bracket natural-frequency threshold by 23%, reducing resonance risk.

Folded safety factor into thickness changes after stress and displacement analysis.

Technologies & Components

System Tooling & Technologies

Altair HypermeshFEATopology OptimisationTopography OptimisationMesh Convergence