Index of Software Design Tools

Peer Review Evaluation Process or PREP Tool:
The PREP tool is an online tool that allows the Rohrbach or PREP process to be performed using the computer.  Members of a peer review group can setup their review sessions, submit their ideas, and review them using any software application.  This tool is optional for 2.007 students.  If your group wants to use it, please look through the online instructions.  To get an account for the website, please contact Pat Willoughby at . 
 

Solid Modeling Tools:

MIT has three software packages available for CAD/CAE.  Many of the UA's and TA's have experience with Solid Works and ProEngineer.  Unigraphics and ADAMS are new to MIT and assistance with the software is more rare.

  1. Solid Works

  2. ProEngineer

  3. Unigraphics and ADAMS
 

Calculation Tools:
Crucial to success in any design are the engineering calculations that you carry out to determine if your design will be able to do what you want it to do.  To assist you with these calculations, a number of sample files are provided below.  However, it is strongly recommended that you not use the spreadsheets to blindly crunch numbers. Instead, they should be used as models and guides in the creation of your own spreadsheets that are tailored to your specific design.
 

EXCEL Spreadsheets:

Error Budget

ErrorGainSpreadsheet-master.xls

Shaft Design

 Used to calculate error budgets.
shaft_torsion.xls Helps in the design of shafts that are to undergo torsion.
shaft_bending.xls Helps in the design of shafts that are to undergo bending.
shaft_axial.xls Helps in the design of shafts that are to undergo axial loads.
shaft_stability.xls Helps in the design of shafts for critical stability speed.

Linkage Design

4baranalysis.xls

 Analyze and design 4-bar linkages.
4barlockingpliers.xls Analyze and design 4-bar locking pliers.
4barpistonlinkage.xls Analyze and design 4-bar piston linkages.
5barboltcutters.xls Analyze and design 5-bar bolt cutters.
6barpistonlinkage.xls Analyze and design 6-bar piston linkage.

Motor Power and Torques
motor_power_and_torque.xls Determine power-speed and torque-speed curves of your motors.
winch_boom.xls Calculate torques and speeds for different winch geometries.
motor_dynamics.xls Calculate time required for a motor to accelerate a load.
winch_cable.xls Calculate cable forces for a winch.
wheel_climb.xls Spreadsheet to determine ability of wheels to climb obstacles.
time_to_move.xls Motion calculations.

Screws and Gears 
leadscrew_design.xls Complete design of a leadscrew.
leadscrew_arm_actuation.xls Calculate range of motion and torque on an arm actuated by a lead screw.

screw_thread_forces.xls

 Determine the thread force of a screw.
screw_lifting_force.xls Determine the lifting or lowering force of a vertical lead screw.
lazy_tongs.xls Lazy tong and lead screw calculations.
spur_gear_strength.xls Estimate gear tooth strength.
worm_gear.xls Estimate gear tooth strength for a worm gear setup.
rack_and_pinion.xls Estimate gear tooth strength for a rack and pinion setup.
planetary_gears.xls Determines train ratios and speed of a planetary gear set.

Beam Bending and Springs
beam_bending.xls Calculations for a simply supported beam and a cantilevered beam.
tapered_beam_const_width.xls Aids in design of tapered beams with constant width.
tapered_beam_const_thickness.xls Aids in design of tapered beams with constant thickness.
torsion_rod_spring.xls Aids in designing a rod to be a torsion spring.

Bearings

bearing_Pitch_PV.xls

 Determine the bearing contact pressure in a slider being loaded by a moment.
bearing_clearance.xls Determine bearing clearance changes caused by loading of bearings.
telescoping_bearing_spacing_forces.xls Determine forces on bearings of telescoping mechanisms.

Manufacturing
pin_in_slot_tolerances.xls Use to help tolerance pin-in-hole and pin-in-slot interfaces.
press_fit.xls Clearance and pressure in press fit bodies.
cheap_coupling_design.xls Designs a shaft coupling for cheaply connecting the motor to the output shaft without requiring precisely positioned shafts.

General Calculations

contact_stress.xls

 Calculate the contact stress between two bodies.
parallel_axis_theorem.xls Applies the parallel axis theorem.
plate_stresses.xls Calculate stresses in plates.

Miscellaneous
piston.xls Determine range of motion and torque felt by an arm actuated by a piston.
hour_glass_flexure.xls Design an hour glass flexure.
linear_slide_jam.xls Determine when a linear slide will jam.
capstan.xls Calculate the force that can be held by a cable wrapping around a capstan, and the net force supplied by a cable pulling around a shaft.
bolted_rail.xls Design a bolted rail.
mit_2001_contest_table_calculations.xls Physics directly applicable to 2002 contest. Momentum calculations for the pendulums.
   

MathCAD Worksheets:
bending.mcd (Zip file) Calculations for beam bending.
   

MATLAB Scripts:
Gear Train Ratio Optimization Matlab code to assist in the selection of the gear train ratio for the Tamiya motor kits.
Four-bar Linkage Animation (Zip file) Matlab code for animation of four-bar linkage design.
mtrpwr.m (Zip file) Plots the torque speed curve and power curves for given values of stall torque and no load speed.
recinert.m (Zip file) Calculates the cross sectional inertia for rectangular cross sections (hollow and filled). All units must be consistent.
cirinert.m (Zip file) Calculate the cross sectional inertia for circular cross sections (hollow and filled). All units must be consistent.
cantbeam.m (Zip file) Shows the deflection of a cantilevered beam loaded from one or more points by one or more forces.
simpbeam.m (Zip file) Shows the deflection of a simple beam supported at either end, loaded from 1 or more points.