FEA Project: Bicycle Analysis

Workshop Objectives
A retro-style French cycle has been commissioned for design and several completed components have been
forwarded for design analysis to see whether or not they meet design criteria.
criteria

Semester 2 2010 Department of Mechanical Engineering FEA Assignment 4 - page 1

 FEA Assignment 03: Bicycle Pedal Static Analysis

Assignment 3 Objectives
The first component to be analyzed will be the bicycle pedal. A static
analysis is required on the pedal to see whether or not it has been designed
within the design specification.

Design Specifications
The bicycle pedal has to support a 100 [kg] person riding the bike standing
up, feet balanced evenly on each pedal.

Initial Design
The first design put forward from the project team assigned is the pedal
d i t d - the
depicted th solid
lid model
d l file
fil for
f the
th left
l ft pedal
d l (identical
(id ti l tot the
th right)
i ht) is
i
available as Bicycle_Pedal_L.stp. The pedal will have further cosmetic plastic
components added to it at a later stage but the base part is as shown.

It iis proposed
d th
thatt thi
this base
b partt is
i made
d from
f A36 mild
ild steel
t l - in
i the
th analysis,
l i
use an initial rough mesh to determine where the high stress areas in the
design are before applying further mesh refinement. Assume that the shaft
attaching to the bicycle crank is clamped for this analysis.

Make recommendations after the analysis in your report.

Semester 2 2010 Department of Mechanical Engineering FEA Assignment 4 - page 2

 FEA Assignment 03: Bicycle Pedal Static Analysis

Use the results from your analysis to now create a formal hard-copy report (in colour & printed back-to-back) on the
analysis detailing the following in your report:

• 1.0 Introduction
This section should briefly describe the component and the operational conditions on it that will be used in the analysis
(include an image/sketch of the component)

• 2.0 FEA Pre-processing

This section should describe the pre-processing decisions made in the analysis as well as pre-processing refinements
made to suit the design requirements - justify any decisions made here (include images)

• 3.0 FEA Post-processing/Results

This section should describe in detail the results achieved in the analysis - justify any decisions made here (include all
images). Tabulate initial & final refined results for comparative purposes.

• 4.0 Conclusions/Recommendations
This section should briefly summarise the results/anomalies achieved in the analysis

Use the following

g documents on the Shared Documents document library
y on the p
portal to assist y
your final report
p submission

• Assignment Help.doc
This Word document is a sample document with the correct formatting required for your final hand-in. Use the same
formatting, font and text sizes for your final report.
• Example_Paper.pdf
This sample paper is an example of the layout of the final report. However, use correct section numbering techniques for
your final report. An abstract is not necessary for this report.

Both a hard-copy and an electronic copy (emailed) of the final report are required as well as Analysis files, and the report
must be of a comprehensive and professional nature – marks will be deducted for any areas of the report that are considered
lacking, both in an analysis and formatting basis.

Semester 2 2010 Department of Mechanical Engineering FEA Assignment 4 - page 3

 FEA Assignment 3: Bicycle Pedal Static Analysis

A i
Assignment
t 3 – Static
St ti Analysis
A l i off a Bicycle
Bi l Pedal
P d l - Submission
S b i i Date
D t
Your final hard-copy report (in colour) must be handed in by Monday 4th October 2010 at 13h00 (the emailed
version as well as all pertinent FEA files must be sent prior to this). No late submissions will be accepted under
any circumstances.

Assignment 3: Bicycle Pedal Static Analysis

Introduction & Operating Conditions 5%
Material 5%

Pre-Processing & Initial Meshing 5%

Computation
p Restraints 5%
Loading 5%
Precision & Mesh
25%
Refinement
Post-Processing & Displacement 10%
Results Visualisation
von Mises Stress 10%
Principal Stresses 10%
Conclusions/Recommendations 20%
General Format & Layout -25%
Photo/Visual/Diagram Content -25%
Total 100%

Semester 2 2010 Department of Mechanical Engineering FEA Assignment 4 - page 4