Final Project NMM

Modeling of a pressure fit puzzle joint in a material to determine the optimum combination of material thickness, surface friction and joint size and depth.

Potentially differentiating between in plane forces and shear forces.
Proposed method - using finite element analysis to study the joint behavior.

Goal - to find an optimized joint configuration based on material properties and geometry

Potential resources
CATIA - Dassault System - generative structre modul
ADINA - Automatic,dynamic, incremental nonlinear analysis
openFEM.org - open source finite element tools library
Finite Element Procedures - Klaus Juergen Bathe

The modeling of form rarely takes into account structural performance of the elements that are being modeled. The proposal is to study how optimization and structural analysis can be used to influence form making in design process.
Finite elment analysis seems like an approriate method to model material properties and to give feedback to form making process.

For instance a plank of wood laid onto a curved surface takes a certain path based on its flexibility and crosssection and based on the curvature the surface has. At a certain point the plank will not be able to follow the surface anymore. One possible apporach could be to find distribution of planks on asurface for optimal coverage based on the mateterial properties. (depending on level I can achieve in FEM)



Matrix of CATIA finite elemetn studies of the joint

Simplex search for minimum gap joint under momentum



Variations of the seam line and variations in the thickness of the material provide a space of possible designs that could be optimized for the desired joint properties.

One question id how to find the optimal cutting paths.

Next one is how to do the optimization - between calculation of the performance and generation of a new path