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COSMOS helps slash manufacturing costs
by reducing material
Company
Emerson
Motor Company
Appliance New Product Development Group
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Industry
Electrical/Electronics |
Location
U.S.A. |
Product Used
COSMOSM |
Type of Analysis
Linear Static
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More Details
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Electric Motor Endshield
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The Challenge
The appliance New Product Development Group of Emerson Appliance
Motor Division, based at the industry-unique Emerson Motor Technology
Center in St. Louis, Missouri, is one of many groups responsible
for achieving that efficiency, quietness, quality and reliability
at the design stage. The Division states its mission: ".to
be the world leader in the production of motors for major domestic
appliances. To meet or exceed customer expectations for quality,
performance, and reliability produced at the lowest possible cost
and delivered in accordance with our customer's schedule."
Its customers include such household names as Whirlpool, Maytag,
Speed Queen, Kitchen Aid and Kenmore.
The New Product Development Group
faces many challenges, including a recent challenge to reduce
the cost of a motor end shield through material optimization.
Accurate analysis of the optimized design was a critical part
of the process, according to Doug Debrecht, Senior Development
Engineer.
Debrecht described the challenge facing
the engineer: "The motor end shield is all one piece, with
four legs that go into slots in the stator, and with a shroud
around the outside. The shroud serves as a cover to keep foreign
objects out of the motor and to protect hands from the moving
parts on the inside. As important, the shroud provides structural
stability. There is also a circular hub in the center of the end
shield, from which the motor shaft protrudes. Four beams extending
back to the legs join the hub to the rest of the component."
The Solution
The group modeled the original design and an optimum one, for
which they reduced material usage. "We couldn't simply optimize
the one design, because we not only reduced the weight of the
original version, but also went from a square shaped design to
a round one that we anticipated would cool the motor more effectively,"
said Debrecht.
Summary and Metrics
- Reduced weight by between 20% and 25% with no increase in
hub deflection
- Accurate analysis results obtained in only five minutes and
11 seconds
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"With
FFE, we reduced our time to market, and consequently reduced
time to market for our customers - a crucial competitive
advantage. We're using it consistently now, and we expect
it help us save a good deal more time."
Doug Debrecht,
Senior Development Engineer
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