Topology Optimization and New Manufacturing Methods for Lightweight Design in Agricultural Engineering

Amazone is a company that develops and produces innovative agricultural technology with a high standard of quality, enabling and supporting modern and economical arable farming methods. They are committed to contributing to their customers’ success by leveraging advanced development tools, processes, and manufacturing methods. Their products are used under very harsh and extremely varying conditions, and they understand that in addition to service quality and the availability of spare parts, product longevity is a key purchase criterion for farmers. Therefore, when developing a new product, they not only have to be competitive regarding price, but they also have to consider the durability of the product, as this aspect impacts the manufacturer’s reputation in the marketplace.

Amazone, a producer of innovative agricultural technology, was faced with the challenge of redesigning a welded suspension component as a casting part, while improving its weight and durability properties. The component in question was a part of the trailed compact disc harrow, Catros-2TS, used for soil tillage. The original component was a complex welded part weighing 245 kg, with 16.5 m of weld seams needed to join the single parts. This made the production process time-consuming and costly. The challenge was not only to optimize the manufacturing process but also to increase the longevity of the component, as product longevity is a key purchase criterion for farmers. The equipment must be robust enough for harsh operating conditions, and design improvements must not lead to higher prices for the final product.

Amazone employed a simulation-driven design process to eliminate unnecessary design iterations and reach a final design faster. They used Altair Engineering’s structural solver and optimization tool OptiStruct and solidThinking Inspire. The engineers first evaluated the weight savings and performance increase of the component if produced using a casting process. They conducted an upfront topology optimization and defined the possible design space and the boundary conditions, such as loads, required stiffness, and manufacturing restrictions. The software calculated how much material was needed and at which position it had to be placed in order to meet requirements such as structural strength. From the optimization result, the engineers created a detailed design which was then evaluated in a FE analysis with OptiStruct. The casted version realized a lower weight and smoother transitions of the structure, resulting in fewer stiffness variations. The overall loading in the casted material of the new design was significantly lower compared to the loadings in the weld seams of the original assembly.

• The new version of the suspension component is already in operation and has reduced Amazone’s manufacturing costs by one-third compared to the former welded construction. Thanks to the reusability of the casting mold, tooling costs were quickly amortized. Customers have benefitted from a higher flexibility in add-on modules and improved product longevity. The overall loading in the casted material of the new design was significantly lower compared to the loadings in the weld seams of the original assembly. This has resulted in a more robust and durable product that can withstand harsh operating conditions. The company is now looking into further optimization of the cast part structure and the manufacturing process by leveraging a combination of topology optimization and 3D printing.

• Increased durability by a factor of 2.5
• 8% weight reduction
• Lower production costs