I have the assembly below composed of a ball screw and 3 guide shafts, and I would like to determine the diameter of the shafts to be used to lift the load (the large transparent gray part). Can I simulate this with Solidworks Simulation, and if so, could you explain to me how to do it (knowing that this is the 1st time I use solidworks simulation)?
I imagine that the 3 (green) trees, I must have "treated as a beam.. " and then I don't know if I should add a force on the top of the gray cube, or if there is a possibility to tell it its mass? Anyway, I'm a complete beginner, if you have a "clear" tutorial, I'll take it (I've only found stuff in Romanian so far :D).
I'm going to repeat myself, don't rush headlong into the finite elements! I know it's tempting, especially when you have bought a simulation license! ;)
Ideally, simulation will allow you to validate the compressive life of your bars and their resistance to buckling. and even that you can do quickly by manual calculation with a simple Rdm form!
In your case, your editing is hyperstatic, that's what you'll have to work on! (the games, the manufacturing tolerances...) as well as monitoring the length of the guide to avoid the phenomenon of butt arching...
Of course I don't answer your question but I give you some leads to dig into that seem more appropriate to me;)
yes, well RDM I didn't even know the term before reading it in your message:)
I don't really have a background in mechanics, but I'm trying to get into it by trying to solve "concrete" problems like this.
I didn't specify, but the length of the shafts will be 35cm, so I can play, on the diameter, on whether the shaft is hollow or not, on whether they are fixed on 2 sides or not and how they are fixed.
For now, it's just to know "approximately" if I'm going for 12, 14, 16, 18, 20mm..
As @Thom@s says, your conception is hyperstatic. Your calculation is therefore likely to give you very favorable results compared to practice.
If I push the line a little far, you're going to put a vertical force that seems to be globally distributed around the ball screw. Since it is this screw that will take up all the effort, a very thin shaft (or no other at all) would be enough if your screw is sufficiently rigid in bending.
In practice, it must at least be able to take back the torque necessary to turn the screw and the imbalances of the load.
Moreover, speaking of bending, the brown plate that serves as a support for the load seems very thin and flexible to me. The associated deformations will therefore also disrupt the effectiveness of the guidance.
Depending on the function of your average, there is certainly a standard that will give you details on the assumptions to take into account.
