Design and optimization study of a resistance structure for an industrial storage platform supporting injection molding tools for the automotive industry

Abstract

The paper offers an optimized solution for an industrial storage platform supporting injection molding tools used to produce thermoplastic components in the automotive sector. After analyzing the current situation for storing the massive tools, a work platform was proposed in order to ensure the conditions imposed by the extension of the company’s implementation of LEAN methods to streamline the production flow. The design of the resistance structure was modeled in the program Autodesk Inventor Professional 2020, taking into account realistic loads and their statistical distribution in the construction of the static and loading scheme of the main beam. The analysis of stress and strain in the main beam under the action of external loads was performed using the finite element method of the program Autodesk Inventor Nastran. The optimized solution for the main beam has been found by analyzing the optimization possibilities in three steps: structural optimization, dimensional optimization and the validation of the proposed optimization options, by verifying the safety of the structure. This paper presents in detail the choice of optimization criteria, decision variables, constraints and objective function. Based on the numerical analysis of mechanical stress and safety coefficient in operation, an optimal variant was chosen from the analyzed models: recessed articulated structure simple and with intermediate support, using laminated profiles IPE 200 and IPE 140.