Fatigue Analysis

The service life of a product is considered a key quality feature. It not only indicates a product's durability and integrity, but also refers to reliable operation within a specific period of time. Fatigue testing on individual components is thus an essential part of operational stability calculations. These calculations incorporate all data regarding materials, environmental conditions and specified boundary conditions. Such calculations determine, above all, service life until damage is sustained. Further progression of damage within a component can then be appraised using linear fracture mechanics calculation.

TECOSIM uses finite element analysis to carry out operational stability tests according to customer- or product-specific requirements and in compliance with accepted guidelines and DIN and ISO standards. In order to calculate service life, we need to take into account that, in normal cases, a component is not subject to a constant load, but changes between different load conditions, peak loads and idle states. The type of load – pressure, tension, pressure and tension, bending and torsion – also plays a decisive role. Each type of load brings about a symptom of fatigue in a material.