Bell Crank Lever

grabcad

Human: Name: Ankush Sharma School: ABES Engineering College 3D printing machine and method: EOS M 290 - Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) Initial weight of the component = 453 gm Final weight of the component = 158 gm Total mass reduction = 65% In a racing vehicle, performance depends heavily on every gram, making optimization crucial to unleash more power on the track. This project showcases the optimal design of a bell crank lever for Formula student vehicles by combining topology optimization and additive manufacturing to minimize weight without compromising strength. Our goal is to reduce the weight of the bell crank lever used in transmitting forces from the pushrod to shock absorbers while maintaining its load-bearing capacity. I began by sketching constraints and forces that the part would experience on paper, then created a model of the existing bell crank lever using PTC Creo parametric. Next, I simulated the lever to identify areas where material could be removed without compromising strength, utilizing ANSYS Workbench for this purpose. Simulation results revealed significant excess material that didn't contribute to load-bearing capacity. Topology optimization was performed with DfAM in Altair Inspire using maximum stiffness criteria, resulting in an optimized shape that minimized weight while maintaining performance. After CAD regeneration, I simulated the bell crank again in ANSYS to validate the design. The overall mass has been reduced by 65% and the component can withstand maximum stresses. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printing technology is used for manufacturing this component. Autodesk Netfabb generated preferred orientation and support structures with the help of EOS M 290 additive manufacturing machine workspace. Refer to Documentation for detailed design process description. Download includes: renderings, full design documentation with simulations, STL file of the part with and without support, STEP file of the part, and development images.