Diagonal Ribs Increase

Torsional Rigidity
By Robert L. Weckman

DuPont engineering resins that are reinforced with glassZytel nylon and
Rynite thermoplastic polyester resins in
particularincreasingly are displacing die
cast aluminum, zinc, and magnesium in
structural applications. The driving forces
to do so include reduced weight, dielectric
strength, corrosion resistance, and the savings resulting from both multifunctional
design and the elimination of many finishing operationsdeflashing, etching, plating, painting, drilling, tapping, etc.
Typical applications where DuPont polymers successfully replace die cast metals
include marine propellers, power tools,
automotive hardware, and office chair
bases, arms, and back and seat supports.
The high tensile strength and toughness of
glass reinforced Zytel (GRZ) permit
designers to match the load-bearing
strength of die castings with relatively
minor changes to cross sections
and wall thicknesses. Matching

Counter-clockwise
twist on computer
models (Figure 2)
is similar to that
exerted on legs of
an office chair
base when casters
are perpendicular
to their axis.

stiffness, howeverthat of an aluminum

housing as an examplecan be more difficult since its elastic modulus is roughly
ten times that of GRZ and five times that
of our stiffer Rynite resins.

Torsional Stiffness Overlooked

In bending, the moment of inertia for a
beam is usually increased by using a deeper section or adding an extra lengthwise rib
to compensate for the lower rigidity of
thermoplastic. Often overlooked is the
need to design for added torsional rigidity,
and this deficiency may not be identified
until the product reaches the testing phase.
In the case of injection molded parts, diagonal ribs commonly are used to increase
torsional stiffness.
Predicting the improvement in twist stiffness provided by diagonal ribs is very difficult with classical hand calculations.
Often designers resort to testing scale
models fabricated from cardboard, wood
or sheets of gluable resins such as polystyrene, PVC or ABS. While helpful, the
fragile models can be
expensive and time consuming to build, especially if
several rib patterns and thicknesses
are investigated.
Computer Aided Engineering
(CAE) also can be used to
model and test structures, as
has been noted in previous
Design Corner articles.
Fortunately, inexpensive

Figure 2. Counter clockwise twist

was simulated in finite element
analysis of the 4 beam models.

U Channel Beam

Z Rib Beam

X Rib Beam

Enclosed Beam

Figure 1. Finite element mod-

Figure 3. Color contour

els of these beams, identical in

their outside dimensions, were
analyzed under identical
torques (11 N m) applied at
one end while the opposite end
was held in a fixed position.

plots for the 4 beams measure

rotational deflection as torque
is applied. While the closed
box beam is stiffest, the X
diagonal rib beama more
practical designis next best.

The four hollow rectangular beams in Figure 1 have walls that are 5.1 mm (0.2 in)
thick, and identical outside dimensions of
305 x 51 x 51 mm (12 x 2 x 2 in).

Finite element models of each case were

analyzed under identical torques of 11.3
Newton meters (100 inch pounds),
applied counter-clockwise at one end,
while the opposite end is held in a fixed
position. Model dimensions are similar to
those of office chair base legs (photo on
page one), and 11.3 N m (100 in lbs)
is a typical torque exerted when a chair
caster is perpendicular to the leg axis
(Figure 2).

The first beam is a hollow U channel, the

second contains a Z rib pattern, and the
third an X rib pattern. The fourth beam
has four longitudinal walls with a closed
permimeter such as might be injection
molded with the aid of a long core pull, or
produced by lost core molding or blow
molding.

The twist angle contour plots generated for

the four beams by finite element analysis
appear in Figure 3, each plot linked to the
beam under study by a color legend for
rotational deflection. No surprise that the
closed box (case 4) is the stiffest structure
we assign it a twist value of 1 and rate the
remaining beams relatively.

All ribs used are 1.8 mm (0.07 in) thick, or

about one third of the adjoining walls
thickness. This wall thickness ratio minimizes sink marks and is used successfully
on many commercial applications. Cross
ribs, i.e., ribs at 90 degrees to the long axis,
should be avoided since they produce
exaggerated sinks and are less efficient
than diagonal ribs in torsion.

The X diagonal pattern is next best, rating a twist of 1.87. In third is the Z rib
pattern at 2.23. A distant fourth is the open
box (beam 1), rating a twist of 9.

analysis software has been written for PC

mini-computers. Although programs such
as MSC Pal 2 cant handle the number of
elements and complexity of an ANSYS or
NASTRAN analysis, they can be useful for
quick comparisons of simple structures.

Conclusion:
This exercise demonstrates that adding
diagonal ribs can increase the torsional
stiffness of a hollow beam by four times.

The superiority of closed structures will

inevitably result in more products designed
for blow molding or lost core molding.
If you are designing a new product, keep
diagonal ribs in mind. And remember:
DuPonts design resources can help you
make the most efficient use of our engineering resins and keep you ahead of the
pack.
Bob is a member of the DuPont
global design team and operates
out of the DuPont Canada office
in Mississauga, Ontario. This
article was originally published
in the Summer 1988 issue of
Engineering Design magazine.