Finite Element Method Application in Computer-Aided Design for Bio-mimetic Chair Research

Finite Element Method Application in Computer-Aided Design for Bio-mimetic Chair Research

Wood is a primary material in furniture design and development. However, amid the global carbon reduction discourse, the efficient utilization of wooden resources has become a pertinent topic. Therefore, this study employed Taiwan’s Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) made from cypress as the material. Through computer-aided design simulations and verification, we designed a Bionic Design Chair (BC) and three sets of commonly found chairs known as Traditional Modeling Chairs (TC). These were analyzed for stress and displacement using Solidworks software. The seating surfaces were categorized into two forms: strip-style and flat-style, and tested for four weight ranges – 45, 64, 81, and 100 kg, representing pressure weights based on human body weight. After Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis via Solidworks software, the BC and TC2 (strip-style) exhibited displacement between 0.9-3.0mm, outperforming TC1 and TC3 which showed displacement between 4.99-12.23mm. Stress analysis showed a range of 2.34-5.68 MPa for TC1-TC3, while the BC, due to its de-sign, could withstand a larger stress range of 4.8-10.59 MPa, superior to the three TC chair designs. In summary, furniture innovation and development are time-consuming processes. This study, by utilizing computer-aided simulations and tests, expedites the development process. The validation of BC design ensures both safety and aesthetic appeal within limited time and resources.