Project Report: Swiss Army Knife

Design and Modelling using Finite Element Analysis

Objective

The main aim of this project is to design and test a Swiss Army Knife using Finite Element
Analysis. The complete 3D model will be made using Solid Works. After which it will be analyzed
in ANSYS Work bench (Static Structural) at the critical loading condition to get the maximum
stresses. The whole model will be simulated in FEA package to determine the overall safety and
breaking strength of the knife.
Introduction
Swiss Army knife is a Premium product by the European brand “Victorinox” which manufactures
these knives with delicacy and precision to bring out the elegance of its class established by its
forefathers. The Knife contains at max 19 tools and can perform at most 33 functions in a fully
sized large version. The Knife was used in World War II and the term was first coined by American
Soldiers.
Since 1897, the Swiss Army Knife has been a trusted tool of adventurers around the world.
Whether you’re exploring the city, the ocean, the mountains or even space, the Swiss Army Knife
is the companion you can count on.

1. What Project Contains?

This Report contains:
 Re-modelled Assembly of Swiss Knife
 Exploded Views
 Part Drawings
 Analysis for Maximum Stresses
The Solution from the analysis will convey about the Critical Load Points, Fracture Strength and
Weak points in the assembly under loading. The software package used for achieving the results
for FEA (Finite Element Analysis) is ANSYS Workbench using Static Structural Module.
Design Approach
The first step in any Design approach (Conventional or System Approach) in CAD includes listing
down the components / parts in case of assemblies. Since this project includes complex assemblies
of Metallic and Non – Metallic parts, we will begin by listing the parts in a Bill of Material (BOM)
style. The following process chart will explain the design approach taken for this product.

Import the
Develope Part
Assembly into Create Mesh
List
FEA Package

Part
Develope the Analysis
Modelling
Assembly Results
(CAD)

Generate Step
Generate Part Re - Iterate if
Files for
Drawings failure occurs
Analysis
Fig 1-1: Process Flow Chart for a Generic CAD and FEA Package Combination
 1. Part List

Bill of Material (BOM) Mapped from CAD Software

Part Quantity
First Cover 1
Knife 1
Pin 1 2
Plate 1 3
Plate 2 1
Plate 3 1
Main plate 4
Small Knife 1
Saw 1 1
Saw Knife 1
Screw Driver 1
Nail Polisher 1
Bender Part 1
Scissor 1 1
Scissor 2 1
Bottle Opener 1
Can Opener 1
Main Bottle Opener 1
Pin 2 1
Holder 1
Second Cover 1
Table 1-1: Bill of Material for Assembly
 2. Part Modelling

Knife:
Knife was modelled using the basic sketching techniques first by sketching a box. Then it was
refined using the Chamfer and Cut Extrude commands to form the shape of a knife from a
rectangular box.

Fig 2-1: Front, Left, Top, and Trimetric Views of Knife in 4 Windows of Solidworks

Bottle Opener
Can Opener was modelled on a very standard design being used in Swiss Knives and in other
attachments from a long time. At first a rectangular box was made and then Fillet and Cut Extrude
Commands were used to make the features of a bottle opener. Images imported from CAD
Software are attached below.

Fig 2-2: Front, Left, Top, and Trimetric View of Bottle Opener
Bottle Opener
Bottle Opener was modelled on a very standard design being used in Swiss Knives and in other
attachments for a long time. It involved adjacent planes, Multiple Fillets, and Revolved Cut
features to achieve the desired shape. The Trimetric and Planar views are given below for clear
understanding.

Fig 2-3: Front, Left, Top, and Trimetric Views of Bottle Opener

Bender Part
Bender part was very simple to sketch. Using few Cut Extrude and Boss Extrude Commands it
was easily made. Fillets were also added on the tip. Images are attached below for clear
understanding.

Fig 2-4: Front, Left, Top, and Trimetric Views of Bender Part
Main Bottle Opener
This part was little tricky to design. The spiral was made using a helical sketch tool to have a
helical path. On this path, then a solid sketch was extruded to form a solid coil. The end of the coil
was then lofted with the help of surface loft feature to make a pointed end. The remaining part was
easily sketched using the Cut and Extrude features.

Fig 2-5: Front, Left, Top, and Trimetric Views of Main Bottle Opener
Nail Filer
Nail filer was made using simple sketching tools and features like extruded cuts and boss extrudes.
The ribbed lines were made with the help of linear pattern in the feature window which replicates
a sketch in linear orientation with fixed displacement in a given axis. Images are attached below
for more clarity.

Fig 2-6: Front, Left, Top, and Trimetric Views of Main Bottle Opener
Final Assembly
The above shown parts are the main functional parts of a Swiss Knife. The parts which are not
shown above, but will be involved in assembly are either Auxiliary Parts or are just helping in
assembling the parts. Those parts have been listed in the first chapter under the Bill of Materials
table.
Parts were imported into the assembly window first and then placed in the display window to
assemble them. Different mates were performed on the parts to make the final assembly. Mostly
the mates consist of Coincident, Concentric, and Parallel relations.
The final assembly and exploded view rendered in CAD Software (SolidWorks) are shown below:

Fig 2-7: Isometric View of Final Assembly

 Fig 2-8: Exploded View of the Assembly

Steps for Exploded View:

For making an Exploded View Assembly, first the Assembly of the parts is made. When the
assembly has been made, the feature “Exploded View” is selected. If not found, the feature can be
searched from the “Help” toolbar. After opening the feature, the setting window asks for the parts
to be exploded, the cursor is dragged to form a square box which will enclose the parts of the
assembly. After this, each step has to be individually assigned to each part. The part will then
follow these steps when exploding. Also the timeframe is kept in mind while assigning the steps
to the parts. The order in which the parts are assigned the steps, will be the same in which they
will explode in the exploded view animation.
Analysis and Results
1. FEA Package
The Finite Element Analysis (FEA) package used in this analysis was ANSYS as explained earlier.
Stress and Deformation for each major part of the Knife assembly have been performed to check
the deformation and Fracture strength on each part individually. The main solution of interest is
the Von – Mises Stresses in this analysis. Furthermore, A Course mesh was used in the analysis of
all the parts given below.
The parameter values are highlighted in this chapter but a detailed conclusion drawn on the basis
of trends is discussed in the next chapter “Conclusions”.
2. Knife

Force Applied
Fx Fy Fz
-2000 -1000 0
Supports
Fixed Support Knife Handle
Table 4-1: Boundary Conditions for Knife

Fig 4-1: Equivalent Stress for Knife

Fig 4-2: Total Deformation for Knife

3. Bottle Opener

Pressure Applied
200000 (Pascals) – Ramped
Supports
Fixed Support Opener Handle
Table 4-2: Boundary Conditions for Bottle Opener

Fig 4-3: Equivalent Stresses for Bottle Opener

Fig 4-4: Total Deformation for Bottle Opener

4. Can Opener

Pressure Applied
200000 (Pascals) – Ramped
Supports
Fixed Support Opener Handle
Table 4-3: Boundary Conditions for Bottle Opener

Fig 4-5: Equivalent Stress for Can Opener

Fig 4-6: Total Deformation for Can Opener

5. Bender Part

Pressure Applied
200000 (Pascals) – Ramped – Top Face
200000 (Pascals) – Ramped – Bottom Face
Supports
Fixed Support Bottom Edge
Table 4-4: Boundary Conditions for Bender

Fig 4-7: Equivalent Stress for Bender

Fig 4-8: Total Deformation for Bender Part

6. Main Bottle Opener

Pressure Applied
200000 (Pascals) – Ramped – Inner Coil
200000 (Pascals) – Ramped – Outer Coil
Supports
Fixed Support Bottom Edge
Table 4-5: Boundary Conditions for Main Bottle Opener

Fig 4-9: Equivalent Stresses for Main Bottle Opener

Fig 4-10: Total Deformation for Main Bottle Opener

7. Nail Filer

Pressure Applied
200000 (Pascals) – Ramped
Supports
Fixed Support Pin Hole
Table 4-6: Boundary Conditions for Bottle Opener

Fig 4-11: Equivalent Stresses for Nail Filer

Fig 4-12: Total Deformation for Nail Filer

Conclusions

Ultimate
Maximum Stresses Normalized
Part Material Tensile
under Loading Values
Strength
Knife SS 460 MPa 48000 MPa 1
Bottle Opener SS 460 MPa 345 MPa 0.0071875
Can Opener SS 460 MPa 39.5 MPa 0.0008
Bender Part SS 460 MPa 1.23 MPa 0.00002
Main Bottle Opener SS 460 MPa 34.8 MPa 0.000725
Nail Filer SS 460 MPa 0.775 MPa 0.00001615
Table 4-7: Part UTS and Maximum Stresses Induced under loading conditions
The values in the Table 4 – 7 shows that the highest amount of stresses induced will on the Knife
which is very high from the Tensile strength value. These results are obtained for a constant load
/ pressure for every part and hence the shape of knife is most vulnerable to breakage in case of
applied load of the given value (Value of load can be checked in the previous chapter or verified
from the workbench file).
The Results from Workbench shows that the knife will take upto 4.8 GPa of stresses which is
99% of the Ultimate Tensile Strength. This means even at a Safety Factor of 2 for this design,
the breakage is not avoidable and will still cause the Knife to break.