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- In actuality, this would be better modeled by an impact.
- Since significant deformation was observed (see the image below), it is clear that a nonlinear analysis would be required to accurately model the deformation. The static load analysis was performed to get a basic idea of expected deformation shape and to prove material exceedance at the expected loads.
- The Solidworks part is modeled as one continuous part instead of two separate steps welded together (the weld was not meant to be structural, so this is not the most representative model)
The steps performed are as follows:
- Aluminum 6061-O was chosen as the material because welding the inner step probably eliminated its temper
- No connections were set.
- The outer step was chosen as the fixed geometry. Technically, the Avionics Bay Coupler only constrains the outer step in one direction (the vertical direction), but the bulkhead is also constrained within the Avionics Bay Coupler by the inner step. The bulkhead is not strictly constrained circumferentially except by friction after putting the Avionics Bay Coupler under compression (in an ideal execution of the design, which was not necessarily achieved for this test): this is irrelevant to the load applied.
Additional Analysis is underway.
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