Problem Description Description

Cylinder bracket is a simple metal structure in the shape of a U, divided into 2 parts which are fixed to a cylinders outer surface. The brackets main job is to support hold the cylinder. It is made of Carbon Steel A-572 Grade 65. The cost of the bracket from the vendor FMC is $ 1000 US.

Where it is being used?

Brackets are used in the Marine Loading Arms system. A marine loading arm is a mechanical device that consists of a fixed part and movable parts. The fixed part is called the riser and the moveable parts are the inboard & the outboard. The moveable parts can move vertically and horizontally, these movements allow the operator to connect these parts into a tank ship such as an oil tanker and once it is connected, the oil will start pumping from the Terminal through the pipelines into the tankers. Each movement of the loading arm is controlled by a cylinder. The cylinder is fixed on each moveable part with a mechanical bracket.

Load Calculations

Uniaxial Fatigue Calculation

Failure analysis
History reveals that the Pins that are attached to the bracket, holding the loading arm cylinder assembly are fabricated in the lathe machine shop. The lathe machine shop designed the brackets of the cylinder and the pins. Fabrication of those parts was done without the consultation of Area Engineer resulting in having repetitive failure of the parts.

The original design was completely one unit which will maintain the strength of the whole bracket assembly. The reverse engineering of the loading arm parts has led to having different dimensioning of the parts which made the clearances of the pins very high with respect to the pivot joints. Also, indentation on the pin indicated that improper material quality has been used in the application. The maintenance workers tried to come up with a solution to the broken brackets and they came up with three different methods:

1. Press fitted pins

The pins were press fitted into the bracket assembly resulting in having a stress concentration on the edges of the pins which eventually sheared after some time.

2. Welded pins
The pins where welded into the bracket assembly, stress concentration was generated due to welding and the pins failed after short time.

3. Threaded pins
The pins where threaded in the lathe machine and the holes also. From the first use it failed.

Method that tackle the problem

Increasing the thickness of the pins on the bracket. Stress = Force/Area , from this relation we know that increasing the diameter will reduce the stress.

Increasing the fillet radius.

90 degrees edges are not desirable in mechanical parts because the stress concentration will be more in the edges.