INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, NIRMA UNIVERSITY, AHMEDABAD 382 481, 09-11 DECEMBER, 2010

Design and Analysis of Fixture for Heavy Shell

Tilting
A. Limbasiya Vimal, B. K M Patel, C. Chintan Mehta
A, B. Institute of Technology, Nirma University, Ahmedabad
C. Larsen & Toubro Ltd, Hazira, Surat
Abstract-- Abstract - Heavy shell tilting fixture is used for tilting
the shell from horizontal to vertical and vice versa. Design and
analysis of heavy shell tilting fixture for weight capacity 110 MT
has been carried out in this work. Modeling of 3-D components
and assembly of tilting fixture have been carried out with the
help of Solid Edge ST-2 software. Finite element analysis of
fixture and its supporting elements has been carried out using
Ideas NX-12 software.
Index Terms -- Heavy vessel, Tilting fixture, Stresses,
Deflection.
I.

release the wire rope steadily, so fixture starts to tilt from

vertical to horizontal. At one point of time it would be in a
neutral position. This is a critical position during the tilting of
the heavy vessel. After that crane sling would be removed
from one end and attached to other end of the fixture. Same
crane would be used to lift from other end of the fixture. After
achieving horizontal position by tilting, fixture would rest on
the support stool. The middle part of the fixture is vital and
would be sufficiently strengthen. The design and analysis of
fixture for heavy shell tilting is based on the above mentioned
procedure.

INTRODUCTION

eavy Engineering is related to manufacturing of

process equipment used in refinery and fertilizer
plants, ship building etc. During the time of assembly
of dished end and shell, both should be in a horizontal
position and at that time shell tilting is necessary. Pressure
vessel should also be kept in a horizontal position for proper
adjustment in the furnace during heat treatment.

2) Assembly of Tilting Fixture

The assembly consists of:
Tilting fixture
Support stool
Saddle as shown in figure 1.

Changing the position of heavy vessel is very critical task

because of heavy weight involved. Therefore proper
precautions and safety rules should be followed while
changing the position of such heavy jobs. For changing the
position of the heavy vessel multiple cranes are used, one
crane lifts the vessel and at the same time other releases it.
Changing the position from vertical to horizontal or
horizontal to vertical is generally carried out above the
ground to avoid any kind of damage to the vessel. Due to
heavy weight there are chances of shape change and bending.
Also the time required for tilting the vessel is more. Because
of these reasons new scheme or mechanism should be evolved
and implemented to change the position of the heavy shell or
vessel [1].
1) Principles of Operation
Principal of operation of tilting fixture for which design is
carried out is based on rotation of cylinder. The proposed
fixture is basically a cylinder with some part of the cylinder is
removed to make a tilting fixture. In this type of fixture only
one crane is used for tilting the heavy vessel. When fixture is
in its resting (static) position at that time job should be loaded
onto it. Because of this, whole weight of the job would be
directly acting on the support stool. Now crane would lift the
fixture from middle support pipe, after that support stool
would be removed from both the sides. Now crane would

Fig. 1 Tilting fixture with shell [2]

II. DESIGN OF TILTING FIXTURE

Following design parameters are considered for the
designing the fixture.
Weight 110 MT
Diameter 10000 mm
Height 10000 mm

NUiCONE 2010

Material
IS 2062 (Grade B) [3]
Ultimate Tensile Stress - 410 MPa
Yield Stress - 240 MPa
Young's modulus - 210 GPa
Permissible bending stress - 144 MPa (IS 800:1984)
Permissible shear stress - 94 MPa (IS 800:1984) [4]
Permissible axial stress - 141 MPa
(Tensile/compressive)
(IS 800:1984)]
1) Design Calculation
For calculating the load acting on the side support both
fixture and vessel have been considered [5].

Deflection, max = 4.46 mm

Stress, max = 78.2 MPa
The middle part of the tilting fixture and support stool are
the important elements in the design of the tilting fixture. The
parts have been designed and checked for the strength.
2) Analysis of Assembly During Neutral Position
Stress and deflection produced in the tilting fixture in
neutral position have been analysed. The stress produced in
this position has been in the range of 40-55 MPa. Where as
the deflection has been in the range of 2-4 mm. As shown in
figures 4 and 5, both stress and deflections are within the safe
limit and thus the fixture is safe for the gravity loading
condition [6].

Load acting on side support, Fs = 488.62 KN

Load acting on middle lifting pipe by crane,
Fp = 312.98 KN]
Design of Side Support
In the design calculation, side support has been considered
as a cantilever beam with uniformly distributed load as shown
in figure 2.
Length of side support = 1000 mm
Load on each side support considering Factor of Safety 2 =
488.62 N/m
I = 5.15 X 108 mm4

Fig. 4 Stress produced in the tilting fixture

Fig. 2 Cross-section of side support

Deflection, max = 0.56 mm

Stress, max = 56.93 MPa
Design of Middle Lifting Pipe
Middle lifting pipe is used to lift the tilting fixture. For
calculating the load on the middle lifting pipe, simply
supported beam with point load on both the sides has been
considered (figure 3).
Length of middle lifting pipe = 4020 mm
Load on pipe W1 = W2 = 312.978/2 = 156.4KN
I = 5.15 X 108 mm4
Distance from neutral axis, y = 161.95 mm

Fig. 5 Deflection produced in the tilting fixture

Fig. 3 Schematic diagram of load distribution in middle lifting pipe

INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, NIRMA UNIVERSITY, AHMEDABAD 382 481, 09-11 DECEMBER, 2010

III. DESIGN OF SADDLE

The shell or vessel in horizontal condition, are commonly
supported on the vertical cradles known as saddles. Saddle
has various parts such as web plate, base plate, wrapper plate
and side plate.
1) Analysis of Vessel Self Weight

Fig. 8 Deflection of saddle

Fig. 6 Schematic diagram of vessel loading condition

The self weight of shell is assumed to act as a uniformly

distributed over the entire length of shell as shown in figure 6
[7].
I = 1.739 X 1013 mm4
E= 200 GPa
Radius of vessel -5000 mm
By considering above value, getting reaction force Q = 539
KN from each support, so reaction force per saddle is 539
KN.
2) Design of Saddle Parts
After doing appropriate design calculations, various
dimensions of saddle have been obtained as mentioned below
[8, 9].
Length of saddle 6000 mm
Saddle throat height 416 mm
Width of saddle: Top width 300 mm
Base width 500 mm
Saddle splitting force,
fh = 68453 N
Tensile stress in saddle,
t = 1.52 MPa
Bending stress in saddle,
b = 26.26 MPa
Bending stress in wear plate,
w = 29.47 MPa
Bending stress in base plate
bp = 21 MPa
3) Analysis of Saddle

Both stress and deflections produced in the saddle have

been shown in the figures 7 and 8. Both are within the safe
limit.
4) Saddle Clamping
Clamping of saddle is very important task. Saddle clamping
can be possible by two ways, by automation or manually.
Automation: Automation of saddle clamping could be
possible by two ways, by use of hydraulic system or by using
pneumatic system. Here overall structure is heavy therefore
load is higher, so hydraulic system is more preferable over
pneumatic system. But this method has some limitations so it
has not been considered here.
Manual Method of Saddle Clamping: There are two
possibilities in manual method of saddle clamping, by use of
temporary welding of saddle with fixture and second is
bolting of saddle with fixture. Out of these two, saddle
clamping by bolting has been considered in this design
attempt.
Saddle Clamping by Bolts
Weight, W = 56.78 KN
n = No. of bolts = 8
Material for the bolts is IS 2062 (grade B)
By considering shearing load carried by the bolts major
diameter of the bold could be calculated [10].
Major diameter d = 10 mm
By considering combined tensile and shear loading, value
of the major diameter of the bolts has been obtained,
d=
14 mm
5) Wire Rope Selection
When selecting a steel rope to suit a particular application
certain characteristics namely strength, rotation resistance,
fatigue resistance, resistance to wear and abrasion, rope
extension should be considered.

Fig. 7 Stress in saddle

Load carries out by slings - 312.98 KN

For leg angle - 60, load factor - 1.154
Load carried out by both slings = 312.98 X 1.154
= 361.2 KN

NUiCONE 2010

4
Vertical hitch type loading condition has been considered
for selecting the wire rope.
The rated capacities for wire rope slings are based on a
design factor of 5 as per ASME B30.9. A wire rope sling
catalogue, "Union-A Wire Co World Group Brand" has been
referred [11].
115 IWRC (independent wire rope core)
Type of sling - single part body, mechanically-spliced wire
rope slings (eye and eye)
Construction of wire rope slings
6 x 36
Load - 18 MT (vertical hitch)
Wire rope diameter - 35 mm
A = 279.4 mm
B = 558.8 mm
Eye and eye type wire rope sling has been selected and typical
diagram of the same is shown in figure 9.

Fig. 10 Modified tilting fixture

Structure: box section

Extra plates are cut from both sides
Upper plate - 20 mm
Side plates - 12 mm
Bottom curvature plate - 30 mm
Inner gusset plate -12 mm

Fig. 9 Eye and eye type wire rope sling

6) FEA of Various Structural Components and Assembly of a

Tilting Fixture
Modeling of 3-D components and assembly of tilting
fixture have been carried out with the help of Solid Edge ST2 software. Finite element analysis of fixture and its
supporting elements has been carried out using Ideas NX-12
software. The important structural elements namely side
support, middle lifting pipe, side plates and support stool
have been analyzed both for stresses and deflection produced
in the respective elements. It has been found that the elements
considered have been safe for the given loading condition.
IV. WEIGHT REDUCTION OF TILTING FIXTURE
The need of the day is to reduce cost of components by
reducing final weight of components. Three schemes have
been considered for the weight reduction of the tilting fixture.
Out of that the scheme in which both structural analysis for
neutral position and static position are safe is explained here.

Fig. 11 Mesh model of tilting fixture

Element : 4 noded rectangular [12, 13]

Meshing : shell mesh
Material : structural steel
Load applied by gravity
Constraint : at ground level (Cyan colour)
Green colour -12 mm side plates
Middle red colour -30 mm plates for more strength in
critical zone

INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, NIRMA UNIVERSITY, AHMEDABAD 382 481, 09-11 DECEMBER, 2010

VI. REFERENCES
[1]

[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]

[9]

Fig. 12 Stress produced in tilting fixture

[10]
[11]
[12]
[13]

Fig. 13 Deflection produced in tilting fixture

Results of structural analysis for neutral position and static

position obtained have been found safe.
1. The weight reduction of fixture is 4.85 MT.
2. The maximum stress produced in fixture is 146
MPa.
3. The deflection of fixture is 1-3 mm.
Dimensions thus obtained from design have been used in
preparation of general assembly drawing and 2-D drawings.
V. CONCLUSION
In this paper design and analysis of tilting fixture have been
carried for weight capacity of 110 MT. After comparing the
results of original and modified tilting fixture, some
observations have been made. The observations are as below:
1.
2.
3.

Fixture is safe in both in neutral as well as static position

Stresses are within acceptable level in the critical regions
of the tilting fixture.
Considerable reduction in the weight of the modified
fixture has been observed.

S. Chakraborthy and D. Banik Design of a material handling

equipment selection model using analytic hierarchy process,
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