Lightweight analysis of automatic escalator truss structure with FEM

ZHANG Hong-bing1，2，WAN Chang-dong2， SHANG Guang-qing2， DU Jian-hong2
（1. Department of Electrical and Information Engineering， Suzhou Vocational University， Suzhou 215104， China；
2. Suzhou Key Laboratory of Advanced Manufacturing， Suzhou 215104， China）

Abstract： Aiming at the contradictions of the escalator elevator safety performance and lightweight design，escalator structural intensity and stiffness characteristics were firstly analyzed and validated by the finite element method. The problems in the original design were found. Then，combined with the sensitivity analysis on the performance of structural parameters，the main objects to improve the structure were put forward. Finally，on the basis of improved structure performance，the optimization technology was applied to improve the structure strength and stiffness properties. The thickness of elevator truss plate was optimized. The results indicate that the structure strength of elevator truss is increased by 21.1%，the stiffness is increased by 24.6%，the structure performance has been ameliorated obviously. And structure's weight is reduced by 7.2%.
Key words： automatic escalator truss； finite element method（FEM）； lightweight analysis；optimal design