TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................................... 1
ABSTRACT......................................................................................................... 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................................ 2

1.0 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................. 3
1.1 OBJECTIVE................................................................................................... 4
2.0 LIMITATION AND ASSUMPTION.........................................................................5
3.0 METHODOLOGY............................................................................................. 6
3.1 TORQUE CALCULATION.................................................................................7
4.0 STRESS ANALYSIS......................................................................................... 8
4.1 FIXTURE ON WHEELCHAIR FRAME...................................................................8
4.2 LOAD APPLIED ON THE WHEELCHAIR FRAME...................................................9
4.3 MESH INFORMATION......................................................................................10
4.4 MESH DETAIL................................................................................................ 10
4.5 ALUMINUM FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS.............................................................12
4.5.1 STUDY RESULT FOR ALUMINUM...................................................................13
4.6 TITANIUM FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS..............................................................16
4.6.1 STUDY RESULT FOR TITANIUM.....................................................................17
5.0 DISCUSSION................................................................................................. 21
6.0 CONCLUSION................................................................................................ 22
7.0 REFERENCE................................................................................................. 23

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to acknowledge our Finite Element Methods lecturer, Dr Nik Ahmad Ridhwan for
his help and guidance throughout the timeline of completing the project. Without his guidance, it
would be difficult for us to complete the project. Therefore, we would like to thank him for the
guidance and help.

ABSTRACT

As a requirement for Finite Element Methods subject, we are required to do Finite Element
analysis on a structure. We do our Finite Element analysis on a wheelchair using Solidworks. We
only analyse a crucial part of the frame of the wheelchair which is made from common material
(Aluminium) using Solidworks. From the analysis, we have been able to identify the location
where maximum stress, displacement and strain occur on the frame of the wheelchair. As
suggestion/improvements we analyse the frame once again with different and stronger material.
(Titanium)

1.0

INTRODUCTION

Figure 1
A wheelchair as shown in figure 1 is a chair with wheels. The device comes in variations
allowing either manual propulsion by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand, or
electric propulsion by motors. There are often handles behind the seat to allow it to be pushed by
another person. Wheelchairs are used by people for whom walking is difficult or impossible due
to illness, injury, or disability. Wheelchair seating systems are designed for wheelchair users to
redistribute pressure from areas of the body that are at risk of pressure ulcers. Wheelchair
cushions are also used to provide stability, comfort, and aid posture and absorb shock. For the
analysis, only the frame of the wheelchair is considered as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2
3

1.1

Objectives

The objective of the project is to analyse the frame of the wheelchair using Finite
Element Method in Solidworks to determine the critical location where maximum stress,
maximum strain, and maximum displacement occurs. Meanwhile another aim is to find an
alternative solution to improvise any problem surfaces during the analysis.

2.0

Limitations and Assumptions

Assumptions are things in study that are somewhat out of control but if they disappear the study
would become irrelevant while for limitations are potential weaknesses in the study that cannot
be controlled. For our study, the limitations and assumptions that has been identified are as
follows

The frame of the wheelchair is made from Aluminium 6061-T6.

Only static analysis was done. Other analysis such as fatigue, thermal and etc. were

neglected.
Wheelchair is stationary
Fixed geometry at four wheels
Analysis was focused on the seat only and the beams that supported the seat
Concentrated force at the centre of the seat ( 100kg x 9.81 m/s-2 = 981 N )

3.0

Methodology

To start up the project, the first thing to do is to understand the title and the objective of the
project. The next step that can be done is to search for information regarding the objective given.
There are several method that can be used to collect the information such as through
revision from previous thesis, interview, browsing through the internet and searching for
literature reviews from books, journal or articles.
For this project, internet is the main reference as it contain information regarding the
project. There are lots of problems statement that can be found through the internet that can be
used to improve the design.
First the Preliminary study for the wheelchair was performed to determine the most
suitable design to use in SolidWork. The design of wheelchair that commonly used in hospital
was selected as it is the most basic type of wheelchair.
Then the analysis that was performed shows the stress and displacement that occurs on
the frame of the wheelchair when the load was applied at specified point. The data presented are
obtained using Solidwork.

3.1

Torque Calculation

For calculation of torque, the distance between the centre of the force and the frame was 43cm.
where F = 981N , r = 0.43m
=Fr

( 981 ) ( 0.43 )

421.83 Nm

421.83
=211.8 Nm
2

the value was divided by 2 because the frame is symmetrical.

4.0

Stress Analysis

The wheelchair frame is analyzed by finite element analysis using SOLIDWORKS software. The
simulation conducted using Aluminum 6061-T6 grade alloy and Titanium 3Al-2.5Sn grade alloy.
4.1

Fixture on wheelchair frame

Fixture
name

Fixture Image

Fixture Details
Entities:
Type:

6 face(s)
Fixed Geometry

Fixed-1

Resultant Forces
Components
Reaction
force(N)
Reaction
Moment(N.m)

Resultant

-0.907991

-1.13648

0.838459

1.679

Assumption was made for the fixture support because the fixture on the wheels on the
wheelchair is not fixed. So, we made an assumption for fixture on the frame to allow stimulation
to happen.

4.2

Load applied on the wheelchair frame

Load
name

Load Image

Load Details

Torque-1

Entities:
Reference:
Type:
Value:

1 face(s)
Face< 1 >
Apply torque
-211.8 N.m

Torque-2

Entities:
Reference:
Type:
Value:

1 face(s)
Face< 1 >
Apply torque
211.8 N.m

The load applied is torque from the center of the frame which came from the wheelchair seat.
The force from the seat is set at 100kg. This situation plays a person with weight of 100kg seat
on the wheelchair. Then the force transmitted to the beam on the frame and creating torsional
force on the frame.

4.3

Mesh Information

Mesh type

Solid Mesh
9

Mesher Used:

Standard mesh

Automatic Transition:

On

Include Mesh Auto Loops:

Of

Jacobian points

4 Points

Element Size

0.305054 in

Tolerance

0.0152527 in

Mesh Quality

High

Remesh failed parts with

incompatible mesh

Of

4.4

Mesh Details

Total Nodes

104974

Total Elements

59567

Maximum Aspect Ratio

15.109

% of elements with Aspect Ratio < 3

94.8

% of elements with Aspect Ratio >

10

0.0436

% of distorted elements(Jacobian)

Time to complete mesh(hh;mm;ss):

00:00:08

Computer name:

MELCHI-PC

10

4.5

Aluminum finite element analysis

11

Properties
Model Reference

Properties

Components

Name:
Model type:
Default
failure
criterion:
Yield
strength:
Tensile
strength:
Elastic
modulus:
Poisson's
ratio:
Mass density:
Shear
modulus:
Thermal
expansion
coefficient:
Curve Data:N/A

4.5.1

Study result for Aluminum

12

6061-T6 (SS)
Linear Elastic
Isotropic
Max von Mises
Stress
2.75e+008
N/m^2
3.1e+008
N/m^2
6.9e+010
N/m^2
0.33
2700 kg/m^3
2.6e+010
N/m^2
2.4e-005 /Kelvin

SolidBody 1(Fillet5)
(Caster1/CasterFork-1),
SolidBody 1(Fillet5)
(Caster2/CasterFork-1),
SolidBody 3(Mirror2)
(SideFrame-1),
SolidBody 5(BossExtrude1[1])
(SideFrame-1),
SolidBody 7(BossExtrude1[2])
(SideFrame-1)

Name

Type

Min

Max

Stress1

VON: von Mises Stress

0 N/m^2

1.40772e+008 N/m^2

Node: 1

Node: 94990

Wheelchair-Static 1-Stress-Stress1

The maximum stress on the frame is 140.8Mpa.

The red color shown on is the area where the
maximum stress happen.

Name

Type

Min

Max

Displacement1

URES: Resultant
Displacement

0 mm

5.80901 mm

Node: 1

Node: 19740

13

Name

Type

Min

Max

Wheelchair-Static 1-Displacement-Displacement1

The maximum displacement occur on the red area

which is about 5.8mm.

Name

Type

Min

Max

Strain1

ESTRN:
Equivalent

0.001797
91

14

Element:

Name

Type

Min

Max

Strain

Element: 24122

Wheelchair-Static 1-Strain-Strain1

The red area shows the maximum strain happen on

the wheelchair frame.

4.6
15

Titanium finite element analysis

Properties
Model Reference

Properties

Components

Name:
Model type:
Default
failure
criterion:
Yield
strength:
Tensile
strength:
Compressive
strength:
Elastic
modulus:
Poisson's
ratio:
Mass density:
Shear
modulus:
Thermal
expansion
coefficient:
Curve Data:N/A

4.6.1

Study result for Titanium

16

Ti-5Al-2.5Sn
Annealed (SS)
Linear Elastic
Isotropic
Max von Mises
Stress
7.44634e+008
N/m^2
8.61e+008
N/m^2
8.3e+008
N/m^2
1.103e+011
N/m^2
0.31
4480 kg/m^3
4.8e+010
N/m^2
9e-006 /Kelvin

SolidBody 1(Fillet5)
(Caster1/CasterFork-1),
SolidBody 1(Fillet5)
(Caster2/CasterFork-1),
SolidBody 3(Mirror2)
(SideFrame-1),
SolidBody 5(BossExtrude1[1])
(SideFrame-1),
SolidBody 7(BossExtrude1[2])
(SideFrame-1)

Name

Type

Min

Max

Stress1

VON: von Mises

Stress

0 N/m^2

1.40463e+008 N/m^2

Node: 1

Node: 94990

Wheelchair-Static 1-Stress-Stress1

The maximum stress on the frame is 140.5Mpa. The

red color shown is the area where the maximum
stress happen.

17

Name

Type

Min

Max

Displacement1

URES: Resultant
Displacement

0 mm

3.62145 mm

Node: 1

Node: 19740

Wheelchair-Static 1-Displacement-Displacement1

The maximum displacement occur on the red

area which is about 3.62mm.

18

Name

Type

Min

Max

Strain1

ESTRN: Equivalent Strain

0.00110521

Element: 1

Element: 24122

Wheelchair-Static 1-Strain-Strain1

The red area shows the maximum strain happen on the wheelchair frame.

19

5.0

Discussion

The wheelchair is a chair with a wheels and this

particular wheelchair usually moves by a person
pushing at the back or by pushing the wheels by
ourself. From the material used for the frame, we choose aluminum and titanium for our finite
element analysis. The aluminum wheelchair frame is the most common material used for
wheelchair frames and the titanium frames is used to compare the strength of the materials used.
From the result obtained on Solidworks software using finite element analysis, the result shown
that the titanium is more durable than aluminum. This is based on the maximum yield strength
that the material can withstand. The aluminum yield strength is 275Mpa while the titanium is
744.6Mpa which is far more greater than the aluminums. So, the safety factor for aluminum is
around 2 while the titanium have around 5 form the applied loads from a person with 100kg of
weight.
The maximum displacement and strain for titanium also much lower compared to the
aluminums. This proves that the titanium materials is more durable than aluminum and it can
sits for a persons woth more heavier weight as it have higher safety factor than the aluminum.

20

6.0

Conclusion

As for conclusion, we successfully analyse the frame of the wheelchair using Finite Element
Method in Solidwork. By simulating the wheelchair, the critical location where maximum stress,
maximum strain and maximum displacement that occurs had been determined. The material that
we choose that is suitable to replace Aluminium 6061-T6 is Titanium 5AL-2.5Sn Annealed. The
material is much stronger and can withstand more force that exerted at the frame. But the
downside is that the material is more expensive.

21

7.0

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheelchair
https://grabcad.com/questions/how-to-model-a-mesh-in-solidworks
http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=MA6061t6
http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=MTA520

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