2011 IEEE Symposium on Business, Engineering and Industrial Applications (ISBEIA), Langkawi, Malaysia

Rotary Car Park (Pallet Design) Computer Aided Design Analysis Study
Nursalbiah Nasir, Helmi Rashid, Abdul Halim Abdullah, Muhammad Azzeim Mat Jusoh
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia
40450 Shah Alam,Selangor, Malaysia
Email:nursalbiah@salam.uitm.edu.my

parking system with a vertical chain drive and storage

shelves arranged on both sides. The main idea is to stack
eight cars in a space normally occupied by two cars. A rotary
chain drive is used to drive the system which consists of
eight or can be found up to twelve individual cabins
supported in a main structural frame [5].

AbstractThe increment of vehicle in UiTM main campus had

contributed to parking problem because of limited parking
space. Hence, rotary parking system could be one of
alternative solution. Since it is a big system, this research
focuses only on the platform (where cars will be parked on top
of it) upper pallet structure. Initial design process stage [1]
(conceptual, embodiement and detail design) had been applied
to develop CAD model of the parking system. The pallet CAD
model are analyzed to predict stress and deflection.The result
then are compared to design specifications and material
properties to ensure the design is verified. Solidworks software
is used for CAD modeling and CAE analysis.
Keywords- mechanized; rotary parking system; pallet design ;
CAD modeling; CAE analysis

I.

INTRODUCTION

Land transportation is commonly used today and to have

a car especially has become necessity. In Malaysia itself,
total registered passengers vehicles recorded by Malaysia
Automotive Association (MAA) since 1980 until September
2010 constantly increasing and last year 486,342 units was
recorded[2].
The arising populations of students and staff of Universiti
Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Malaysia have contributed to
vehicle usage in the campus. Because of the geographical
location and campus progressive development, limited
space for parking area are provided for staff and students,
hence it caused massive parking congestion problem
especially during the semester. A questionnaire is given to
fifty respondents comprising of staff and students had proved
that 61% of the respondents faced difficulty to get parking
lot. Therefore, alternative solutions to solve this problem
must be figured out.
Car parking can be categorized in two types, which is
conventional/self
parking,
and
mechanical/elevator
automated [3]. Conventional parking consists of layout, ramp
and floor system. But this system consumes space and is not
suitable as UiTM has limited space. A mechanized car park
system can be defined as optimum spaced car storage with
the aid of mechanical system powered by electrical source
and has automatic storage and retrieval method [4].Therefore
it is the possible solution for parking problem. As per shown
in Figure 1, rotary car parking concept is one of mechanized
car park system where it is an automatically controlled

Figure 1: CAD rotary parking system concept

In this research, Solidworks software has been used for
modeling the whole structure of rotary system and analyzing
hangar bar and frame bar that supporting pallet structure to
predict stress and elongation. The pallet structure is
determined based on specification of biggest common
passenger car in UiTM as per shown in Table 1.
TABLE I.

Length
(mm)
4540

512

CAR SPECIFICATION

Width
(mm)
1755

Height
(mm)
1435

Weight
(kg)
1480

II.

3D CAD MODELLING

Using measurement stated in table 1, pallet structure

which consists of pallet hanger, hanger bar, platform, bar,
frame bar, and support bar were modeled in Solidworks.
Upon completion, the 3D CAD models were analyzed using
finite element analysis (FEA) method. Figure 2 and figure 3
below show the parts configuration without and with
platform. Table 2 shows each components description.

Figure 2: Pallet structure without platform

Platform

Base for car to

park

Bar

Connect both
pallet hangers
at both ends

Frame
bar

Support
platform
structure

Support
bar

Support
platform
structure

III.

DESIGN METHODOLOGY

Start
Figure 3: Pallet structure with platform
TABLE II.

No
1

Part
name
Pallet
hanger

Problem identification-conduct
survey

COMPONENTS DESCRIPTION

Picture

Feasibility study of existing rotary

car park design-conceptual design

Function

Establish pallet structure design

parameter and material
specification-embodiment design

To hang the
whole structure
of the platform

CAD Model preparation

Hanger
bar

Joint
connection
bar
between
and
pallet
hanger

Run stress and elongation analysis

513

B. BAR ANALYSIS
Compare result with manual
calculation and material
specification

Discussion and recommendations

End

Figure 4: Steps in preparation for Solidworks modeling and

analysis

Figure 7: Bar displacement

Figure 4 explains the steps from problem identification

until analysis for CAD model. Mild steel is chosen as
material of structures because it is a common material and
has enough properties to support the load of a vehicle.
IV.

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS RESULT

A. HANGER BAR ANALYSIS

Figure 8: Bar stress

C. UPPER PALLET STRUCTURE

Figure 5: Hanger bar displacement

Figure 9: Upper Structure Displacement

Figure 6: Hanger bar stress

Figure 10: Upper Structure Stress

514

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) calculates Von Misses

stress and displacement of CAD model. Von Misses stress is
used to predict yielding of material under loading condition
[6]. It would be compared with yield stress of mild steel
which shown in the table III below. Displacement simulated
in the analysis represents elongation of structure from its
origin and also would be compared to material elongation
value. bar was diameter 60 mm circular shaped design and
hanger bar was rectangular of 100 X 100 mm

However, all values were still within material specification

which far less than 23 mm.

VI.

As a conclusion, the results shown that CAD analysis had

provided acceptable preliminary design for rotary car park
system The dimension been used in this design process is
based on the size of the car commonly being found in the
campus which is sedan type and based on the weight of the
car itself. From the results obtained, a better analysis results
can be generated by considering other aspect in design such
as bar shape and weight of whole structure. Other CAD
softwares such as ABAQUS could also be applied to run
and validate the CAE analysis.

MILD STEEL MATERIAL PROPERTIES [6]

TABLE III.

Yield
strength
(MPa)

Density
(kg/m3)

Modulus of
Elasticity
(GPa)

Elongation
(mm)

250

7860

200

23

Structural
mild steel

V.

DISCUSSION

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Summary of result of FEA on hanger bar, bar and upper

pallet structure are shown in Table IV.
TABLE IV.

The author would like to acknowledge and thanks all

colleagues in Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti
Teknologi MARA who had contributed their effort directly
or indirectly for this research. The appreciation also goes to
student, Ahmad Ikram Ab Karim for his effort on helping the
author.

RESULTS SUMMARY OF STRESS AND

DISPLACEMENT ANALYSIS
Analysis Results

Components

CONCLUSION

Von Mises Stress

(MPa)

Displacement
(mm)

Bar

180 .08

5.58

Hanger Bar

227.14

6.14

Upper Pallet Structure

126.18

1.23

REFERENCES
[1]

According to the simulation for every part, all structure

did not exceeding the yield strength for mild steel which is
250MPa. All the simulation parameters especially load
applied was 30 000N which is approximately 3058Kg. This
value is considered based on the weight of the car as well as
the structures load itself. The result shows the maximum
stress experienced by a bar was 180MPa which is at the both
end of the structure while hanger bar was 227MPa which is
at the center meanwhile upper Pallet Structural was 126MPa.
As for displacement values, bar is predicted to elongate
5.58 mm maximum from actual dimension, while hanger bar
and upper pallet structure elongated 6.14 mm and 1.23 mm.

[2]

[3]
[4]

[5]

[6]

515

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H Hwang, S Lee, Expected Service Time Model for A Rotary
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