We use Solidworks Simulation for random vibration of our designs, but the idea came up of using the software for drop test analysis. We have all the add-on simulation packages, including Solidworks Simulation Professional that can do drop test analysis of the unit, we've designed, but what we're looking to do is model the unit within its shipping container. The container is actually a cardboard box within another cardboard box, and there are two layers of dense foam - one layer in the first box that surrounds the electronic unit and then another layer that is between the internal box and the exterior box. Each foam layer is about 2 inches thick.
Any ideas on how this could be modeled with Solidworks Simulation? Has it been done before and if so, is there any reference material, etc that I could get?
Thanks, Dave
Dave,
I think this will take quite a bit of work to do right. You've got two materials that are going to behave in a very non-linear fashion. It is probably going to be difficult to get material properties for either. The cardboard has an interesting structure that causes it to behave non-isotropically. The foam is probably isotropic, but not the least bit linear, possibly hyperelastic. With luck, SW Simulation will have material models for foams, but you will probably have to do a bunch of testing to get data on its performance and see which model to choose. I think you will probably end up approximating the cardboard as a solid material with peculiar properties in different directions that you also establish by testing.
Someone may have already done the development of programs to solve container drops, but they might not be selling the program or the knowledge.
Good luck!
Jerry Steiger