Predict load for custom deflection

Hi all. I have a question. How to predict load for custom deflection? I am a student and i do a trapezoidal sheet research. For example, I need to know what is the load when deflection of sheet reaches 30mm. Thanks in advance. P.S. I use Solidworks 2010 premium

I don't have 2010, can you post a screen capture of the problem. I know in Autodesk Inventor I would apply the constraints (one with deflection), the material and then Inventor would return the load needed to achieve the given deflection. (students can download Inventor Professional for free from http://www.autodesk.com/edcommunity ) If you can provide more information I will see if I can reproduce the problem in SolidWorks 2009.

thanks for quick answer and the tip about constraints. I was trying to do something with it but nothing... i would like to get a simple example of such construction. Simple sheet of metal, fixed opposite edges. I would be grateful if you could provide an example how to do it.

I dont have 2010 or the student version(which simulation is different) but i believe you will want to look into design optimization. Basically you will set up a simulation and run this, then optimize the design by giving it some parameters. I believe you can enter a max deflection. Tomorrow when i have solidworks in front of me i will play around with it and see if this is the route you wish to go.

Sorry, with my version of simulation I do not have the option to design an Optimized study. It may be something to look into. There is also a Design Sceneraio but the more i think about these, the more I think they will not work. They will let you set resultant forces, max displacements and so on but its not typical to pick a displacement amount and figure out what force it takes to get there. Luckily the design scenario will let you run multiples that may help you narrow down a range of values. What kind of precision do you need to show with this?

What is the length, width and thickness of your sheet?

What is the material?

What is the desired deflection (and where (area))?

Oh wait, I see in initial post you specify 30mm. As you have fixed opposite ends the force required to deflect (actually stretch) by that amount would be beyond the elastic limit? I think SWx Simulation calculations are valid only within the elastic limit.

What is the length, width and thickness of your sheet?

What is the material?

 

 

What is the desired deflection (and where (area))?

Oh wait, I see in initial post you specify 30mm. As you have fixed opposite ends the force required to deflect (actually stretch) by that amount would be beyond the elastic limit? I think SWx Simulation calculations are valid only within the elastic limit.

it looks to be a fairly large plate. At least in his simulation its deflecting 1mm with only gravity.

As JD mentioned you have both end faces fixed. You may want to consider fixing one edge(not face) and allowing the other to "float" on a roller.

great tips. but that picture that i added earlier is only to make a simple way to find what i need. i am trying to design 4.5m to 6.0m plate, and it is only 0.75mm to 1.5mm thickness. my goal is to find the force that would make max deflection like 30mm.

as for design scenarios. i find out how it works. and i have one consideration: does the deflection is linear due to force? because with scenario i can get linear graph deflection/force, but is it true?

i need to find how to do this on a simple plate as the real construction that i work with would look like this and it makes calculations up to 2 hours :S and experimenting with such plate is hard work. beams are fixed tight on bottom plane; no penetration; trapezoidal sheet is fixed only in holes as it was bolts. just for the record: i need to do at least 100 calculations with such plates...