Publication: Fatigue life prediction of vending machine’s bill acceptor
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Date
2024-07-01
Authors
Tan Zi Xuan
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Abstract
The bill acceptor is a critical component of vending machines, prone to failure due to fatigue caused by vibration and thermal stress during operation. This study focuses on predicting the fatigue life of the main frame of a vending machine bill acceptor through thermal and vibration fatigue analysis using ANSYS software. The main frame, made of plastic ABS and aluminium alloy, was modelled in 3D using Solidworks and then imported into ANSYS software for analysis. Steady-state thermal analysis showed that the temperature distribution was within acceptable limits for both materials. Static structural analysis revealed that the main frame was susceptible to fatigue failure due to high equivalent stress and equivalent elastic strain values. Modal analysis identified the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the main frame, crucial for understanding its vibration response. Random vibration analysis at different sigma levels quantified the stress distribution under random vibration, providing insights into potential failure modes. The fatigue life of the main frame was predicted to be approximately 2.54 years, assuming 200 bill insertions per day. The study concludes that the current design and material selection are effective in ensuring reliability and service life under typical operating conditions. However, further optimization is recommended to enhance the fatigue life and overall performance