Snap Fit Analysis

One of the more common uses for FEA is to predict the behavior and survival of a snap fit. Although these features can be designed using empirical formulas, the actual stress and strain in the snap region can not be determined without using FEA. Metis Design has worked on several snap fits for a variety of uses. The designs have ranged from stiff, single time use snaps for pallet assembly to light snaps that need to be reused hundreds of times.

Although some of these designs have been originated by MDC engineers, most of them have come from clients who designed the snap using traditional formulas and then had Metis Design use FEA to confirm their performance. In all cases, MDC has made recommendations for design modifications based on the FEA results. MDC engineers are able to modify the design provided by the client until it performs as necessary and then provide details on those design modifications to the client for them to implement on the larger, original model.

Return to Finite Element Analysis.