Högskolan i Skövde

In product manufacture and assembly it is important to lower materials usage and assembly timewhile retaining a safety margin against structural failure. In this project the ceiling attachment of theAVPOS offloading arm is redesigned based on objectives identified by Löfs Specialmaskiner. Theoriginal ceiling attachment is analysed using finite element analysis to identify any structuralweaknesses to be addressed during redesign. Based on information gained during the FEA threeconcepts are generated and rated based on their estimated assembly times, material usage, partscount and the cutting length for machining.One concept is selected for further topology optimisation and iterative FEA, where material isremoved from the selected concept design while maintaining safety objectives. The optimised designdeveloped during this project is shown to have a lower number of parts, lower usage of material andassembly time while retaining an overall FOS value of 4.In addition to redesigning the ceiling attachment, alternative bearings are also investigated whichchanges the existing ball bearings to a self-aligning sliding bearing with self-lubricating properties,lowering the machining tolerances as well as lowering the needs for service.This project contributes to lowering material usage and ease of assembly in the product AVPOS thatis manufactured by Löfs Specialmaskiner. The redesigned ceiling attachment along with thesuggested bearings will likely simplify future manufacturing as well as lower any concerns for damageto people and property as a result of structural failure.