Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: Lever arm design

  1. #1
    Associate Engineer
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    2

    Lever arm design

    Hi all,

    I am an engineering student working on a project to design a trash compactor, I have decided to use a lever arm. The compactor will be operated by a person pushing down the lever arm at position C in diagram below, this will push a plunger attached at point B, I need to get 1200kg/m3 in the bale, so with the area of the compression plate I have calculated that the force required will be 171N. I need to design the length of the lever arm and then the minimum size for a timber lever arm and a steel box section for an alternative. I have looked through a number of online calculators but none match my setup. I would really appreciate it if someone could help me with how to go about designing this or what book or web resource would help me.

    Thanks in Advance,

    James,
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
    Lead Engineer RWOLFEJR's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Rochester Pennsylvania
    Posts
    396
    Hi James and welcome to the forum,
    Take a quick look at the forum rules on helping with schoolwork.

    If you're an engineering student... And gonna stick it out. Then go buy yourself a copy of Machinery's Handbook. You can buy a used book and save a couple bucks as not much has changed in the last ???? years in the world of physics.

    Far as the world wide web goes... Do a search... "simple levers." Or look around on this site as I'm about certain what you need to find is probably on here.

    Good Luck and have a great weekend...
    Bob

  3. #3
    Technical Fellow Kelly_Bramble's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Bold Springs, GA
    Posts
    2,611
    Look at the followinh beam deflection calculators..

    https://www.engineersedge.com/beam_b...m_bending9.htm

    https://www.engineersedge.com/beam_b..._bending10.htm

    And the beam stress and deflection menu..

    https://www.engineersedge.com/beam_calc_menu.shtml

    Find the applied stress - compare to beam properties....

  4. #4
    Associate Engineer
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    2
    Hi all,

    Thanks very much for all your help, I'm progressing nicely now.

    James

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •