One of the reasons I like Fusion360 (besides that I've been using it for 8 years) is all the associated app features. Not only can I work out CAM operations to make stuff with CNC, but I can also do stress simulations on the geometry! Most of the simulation types are buried behind a $1400/year subscription (Yikes!) but the static stress simulation is still free. Works for me.
I've been wanting to do some structural analysis with the tubes that make up the front axle supports. I suspected that the wall thickness I chose for those tubes would be inadequate for the loads desired. I set up a separate file with just the pieces that make up the axle structure.
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I set up pin constraints on the inner tube, associated the back plate with the front tube (blue dots) and added an upward force of 300lbs (1335N) where the wheel connects. The first study only had a safety factor of .7 LOL. My suspicions were confirmed. In the image below, blue and green are good. Yellow and red are bad. It looks like the max design load is putting too much stress on the tube intersections.
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Thanks to the pipe tool in Fusion360, I was able to easily change wall thicknesses on the tubes. I ran new analyses as I increased the wall thickness of the structural tubes. I eventually got to a wall thickness that gives me a safety factor over 3. This structure will be heavier than originally designed, but will be stronger than a steel structure of equivalent weight (I also ran a study using steel tubes at the weight equivalent thickness).
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The deflection shown is 2.6mm. I think this will work.
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