CASE STUDY | DMU Cattle Weigh Platform
Datamars is an international conglomerate that provides information technology services. They offer livestock management, animal health delivery, pet identification and reunification, and textile solutions. Datamars is committed to providing greater animal productivity, product traceability, animal welfare and environmental sensitivity by integrating various livestock management systems and technologies into seamless solutions.
THE CHALLENGE
Datamars wanted independent verification of the forces and stresses encountered on their DMU cattle weigh platform under different loading conditions—from standard operation to extreme loading situations, such as the cow ‘bucking’ on the platform.
Caliber was approached to carry out Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and provide supporting hand calculations to validate the platform design. The stresses calculated could then be checked against the endurance limit of the parent material and welds to ensure the platform durability and longevity.
THE SOLUTION
The initial analysis, carried out without the platform tread bars, showed that high stress points under the cow’s hooves during ‘bucking’ would lead to permanent deformation of the platform. Based off these results the scope was expanded; hand calculations were iterated through to determine possible configurations of the platform sub frame. These configurations kept the maximum stress experienced at the center of the unsupported platform under the endurance limits.
The same analysis was performed using the updated platform model. The results of the analysis verified the initial hand calculations and kept the stresses in the platform under the endurance limit during ‘bucking’. A detailed analysis report, outlining the initial and revised results, as well as recommended changes to the platform, was produced.
The project was successfully completed on time and on budget. This included additions to the scope of improved platform design suggestions, re-analysis of the platform, and endurance limit calculations.
The results provided Datamars with information around the current design as well as places for future development of their product.
