Strength calculation is a powerful tool that enables significant cost savings in production by optimising material use and structural durability. Properly performed strength calculations help avoid oversizing, reduce material costs and extend product life cycles. At Hefmec, strength calculation is a key part of production process efficiency and mechanical engineering design projects. Using accurate FEM analysis, we ensure the safety and durability of structures from the early design stage, speeding up the entire development process and delivering tangible savings for our customers.
What is strength calculation and why is it important?
Strength calculation is an engineering-based method for analysing the behaviour of materials and structures under different forces and loads. It ensures that products and structures can safely withstand their intended operating conditions with the optimum amount of material.
At the heart of strength of materials analysis is Finite Element Method ( FEM) analysis, which allows complex structures to be broken down into smaller, more easily analysable parts. This method is essential in modern product design as it reveals potential problem areas before prototypes are built. Hefmec experts use advanced strength calculation methods to ensure that every structure we design and build is both safe and optimised in terms of material use.
The strength calculation also serves as a tool to ensure product quality. It can be used to analyse how different materials and structures react to different stresses, such as vibration, temperature variations or mechanical loading. This allows to improve product reliability and reduce the risk of unexpected failures in production and use.
Hefmec’s strength calculation services cover both linear and non-linear analysis, enabling more accurate results in complex structures. Our professional team combines theoretical knowledge with practical experience, making us a reliable partner for solving even the most demanding manufacturing engineering challenges.
How does the strength calculation affect material costs?
Strength calculation significantly reduces material costs by optimising the amount of material in structures to just the right amount for the intended use. Accurate analyses avoid oversizing, which is a common problem without expert strength calculations.
In many industrial projects, material costs make up a significant part of the total cost. Without accurate strength calculations, designers often oversize structures to be on the safe side, leading to unnecessary use of materials. Such “just in case” design can increase material costs by up to 15-30%. Hefmec’s professional strength calculation eliminates the guesswork and allows optimisation of material quantity without compromising safety.
In improving material efficiency, strength calculations also help to identify alternative materials or structural solutions that may be more cost-effective for specific applications. For example, replacing a conventional steel structure with an optimised aluminium structure can lead to significant savings in both material costs and energy consumption in manufacturing.
Hefmec’s strength calculation services are a key tool for improving material efficiency. We use advanced analytical methods to identify the critical points in structures and size the material use to the optimum. This leads to lower material costs while improving product performance by reducing unnecessary weight.
When should a company make use of professional strength calculation?
Professional strength calculations are particularly useful when designing safety-critical structures, developing new products, optimising existing products for cost reasons or when aiming for significant material savings in production.
The development phase of new products is a critical time for strength calculations. Analyses performed at this stage guide the design in the right direction from the start and help avoid costly changes at later stages. Hefmec’s experts have the capability to start strength calculations at short notice, allowing them to react quickly to changing project needs.
The optimisation of existing products is also an excellent opportunity to take advantage of professional strength calculations. In many cases, products are initially oversized for safety, and accurate analysis can deliver significant cost savings without compromising product reliability or safety.
Hefmec’s process for customer projects always starts with a thorough mapping of needs and problems. Our strength calculation team then analyses the structures using appropriate calculation methods. As the project progresses, we keep the client informed with clear reports and provide concrete recommendations for changes or, if necessary, completely redesign the structure.
Strength calculations are also particularly useful for products requiring CE marking, as accurate documentation of structural strength is often part of the proof of compliance. Hefmec’s experience in CE documentation helps our customers to meet these requirements efficiently.
How does strength calculation improve product life cycle and reliability?
Strength calculation improves the life cycle and reliability of products by anticipating potential structural problems and fatigue mechanisms at the design stage. Accurate analysis helps to optimally size products for their actual operating conditions, extending service life and reducing maintenance requirements.
Properly designed structures are better able to withstand long-term loads, cyclic stresses and environmental stressors. Strength calculations can be used to identify the critical points in structures where fatigue or fracture is most likely to occur and to strengthen them in a targeted way without over-dimensioning the whole structure. This leads to significantly longer service life and reduced maintenance requirements.
Hefmec’s strength calculation team uses advanced analytical methods to study the behaviour of products under different conditions. This includes static and dynamic load analysis and fatigue calculations to predict the true life cycle of a product. When a product is designed to optimally withstand the loads specified for it, its maintenance costs are significantly reduced.
The improvement in reliability is also reflected in a reduction in production disruptions. When products and equipment are designed with professional strength calculations, disruptive breakdowns are significantly reduced. Hefmec’s expertise enables us to design technically robust solutions, which is one of the reasons why we can in many cases offer a lifetime guarantee on our products.
