Segmented Crane Boom Structure for Weight and Strength Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current crane boom structures, formed by bending a single piece of high-strength steel sheet and welding, face challenges in balancing weight and lifting capacity due to excessive stress on welds, requiring high-strength welding and labor-intensive processes, while also compromising on structural stability and resistance against bending and buckling.
Innovation Solution
The boom structure is formed by joining two separate sheet plates with different thicknesses and strengths, where the lower part is bent from 9 points and the upper part from 5 points, distributing forces evenly and reducing the need for rigorous welding, with weld grooves positioned on the sides to mitigate tensile forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a single piece of high strength steel sheet is bent and welded to form the boom, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the weight increases and lifting capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The boom is divided into two separate parts: an upper part and a lower part, each formed from separate steel sheets with different thicknesses. This segmentation allows optimization of each part's weight and strength independently, reducing overall boom weight while maintaining structural integrity through controlled welding at minimized locations.
Solution Approach 2:
Different thicknesses are applied to different parts of the boom structure. The upper part uses a first thickness while the lower part uses a second thickness, allowing each region to have the specific structural properties needed for its location, optimizing the balance between weight and strength.
2Strength
If the thickness of the boom profile is increased to improve strength, then the resistance against bending and tearing improves, but the weight increases and lifting capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Different thicknesses are applied to different parts of the boom structure. The upper part uses a first thickness while the lower part uses a second thickness, allowing each region to have the specific structural properties needed for its location, optimizing the balance between weight and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The boom is divided into two separate parts: an upper part and a lower part, each formed from separate steel sheets with different thicknesses. This segmentation allows optimization of each part's weight and strength independently, reducing overall boom weight while maintaining structural integrity through controlled welding at minimized locations.
3Weight of moving object
If excessive reduction in the thickness of the boom profile is made to reduce weight, then the lifting capacity improves, but the structural stability and resistance against bending and tearing reduces
Solution Approach 1:
Different thicknesses are applied to different parts of the boom structure. The upper part uses a first thickness while the lower part uses a second thickness, allowing each region to have the specific structural properties needed for its location, optimizing the balance between weight and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The boom is divided into two separate parts: an upper part and a lower part, each formed from separate steel sheets with different thicknesses. This segmentation allows optimization of each part's weight and strength independently, reducing overall boom weight while maintaining structural integrity through controlled welding at minimized locations.
4Strength
If the number of bends in the boom structure is increased to improve strength, then the resistance against buckling improves, but the manufacturing complexity and labor operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The boom is divided into two separate parts: an upper part and a lower part, each formed from separate steel sheets. By distributing the required bends across two separate components rather than one, the manufacturing process becomes more manageable while achieving the necessary structural strength and buckling resistance.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A boom (10) consisting of an upper part (11) which is formed by bending from 5 separate bending points (14) at equal intervals and thus whose strength is increased; a lower part (12) which forms the lower part of said boom (10), is formed by bending from 9 separate bending points (14) at equal intervals.