Aim To introduce a new method of adaptive shape optimization (ASOP) based on three-dimensional structure boundary strength and optimize an engine bearing cap with the method. Methods Using the normal substance's property of thermal expansion and cooling shrinkage,the load which is proportional to the difference between the nodes' stress and their respective objective stress were applied to the corresponding variable nodes on the boundary.The thermal load made the nodes whose stress is greater than their objective stress expand along the boundary's normal direction and the nodes whose stress is less than objec- tive stress shrink in the opposite direction , This process would repeat until the stress on the boundary nodes was converge to the objective stress. Results The satisfied results have been obtained when optimizing an engine bearing cap.The mass of the bearing cap is reduced to 55 percent of the total. Conclusion ASOP is an efficient,practical and reliable method which is suitable for optimizing the shape of the continuous structures.
On the basis of introducing the fundamental theory and the basic analysis steps of the sub model method, the strength of the new engine complex assembly structure was analyzed according to the properties of the engine structures, some of the key parts of the engine were analyzed with refined mesh by sub model method and the error of the FEM solution was estimated by the extrapolation method. The example showed that the sub model can not only analyze the comlex structures without the restriction of the software and hardware of the computers, but get the more precise analysis result also. This method is more suitable for the strength analysis of the complex assembly structure.
