Production cost reduction through optimization of machine component

This thesis aiming to reduce the cost of production through analyzing and optimizing a set of weaving machine components including five legs; three main legs and two support legs. This set of legs has a reciprocating revolutionary movement around a central axis which is driven by a crank shaft. Finite element static Structural analysis, explicit and fatigue analyses been applied using Ansys workbench. The results show that some areas of legs are under small stresses far from material yield strength. This fact provides the potential for mass reduction of legs without significant effect on mechanical safety factors. Ansys Workbench parameter optimization and shape optimization been applied in this study in order to reduce mass while maintaining almost the same safety factors. Besides performing optimization on original legs, new optimized design alternatives presented for both main legs and support legs. Mass reduction of maximum 18% is obtained in new designs