Engineering Analysis Application in Furniture Making : Deformation – Equivalent Stress

The deformation of furniture units plays a significant role in their effective and efficient way of use during the overall service life. Accurate information on the deformation of different types of furniture members can be determined and evaluated by current testing methods. However, this will not only be expensive but also destructive. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to obtain initial data to predict the types and magnitudes of deformation which take place in various furniture works due to certain stress distribution. Such predictions were carried out by employing engineering analysis within the scope of the statistical approach. AutoCAD and SolidWorks software were used to design the furniture while the ANSYS finite element program route was employed for engineering analysis in this work. The joint types and stresses were applied as follows: dowel type joints having an equivalent stress level ranging from 0.20-0.96 MPa and a deformation level ranging from 0.0010.82 mm; mortise and tenon joints having an equivalent stress level ranging from 0.17-2.68 MPa, deformation level ranging from 0.02-0.17 mm. Minifix type joints having an equivalent stress level ranging from 0.07-17.6 MPa, and a deformation level ranging from 0.03-1.42 mm. It appears that the engineering tools used in this study can successfully be applied to determine the deformation behaviors of furniture units.