How a Caulk Gun Works

Products and versions covered

By:
Help
Feb 13 2014In-Product View

SHARE

ADD TO COLLECTION

We considered the following mechanics of the caulk gun when creating the simulation.

1. User holds the handle [1] and pulls back on the trigger [2].
2. The pin end of the trigger [3] pushes the actuator [4] forward.
3. The actuator tightly engages the plunger [5] and pushes it forward.
4. The plunger head [6] pushes the caulk tube bottom.
5. The tube is held in place by a ring [7] at the end of the caulk gun.

The caulk gun is an assembly which consists of several parts, some of which can move.
Several operational scenarios can exist for the caulk gun, but we chose to simulate the
assembly in a static equilibrium state.

This simulation investigates when the trigger is pulled and the pushing force on the
bottom of the caulk tube is about to overcome the internal tube resistance. At this
instant, just before caulk exits the tube, the assembly is in static equilibrium.

On the ribbon, click Environments tab Begin panel Stress Analysis to enter
the Stress Analysis environment.

Expand Caulk Gun.iam in the Stress Analysis browser. We exclude the following
components from the simulation:

 Caulk Tube [8]

 Actuator Spring [9] (not modeled, but simulated with Spring contact)
 Lock Spring [10]
 Lock [11]
 Previous | Next

Parent topic: Stress Analysis Contacts

Was this helpful?

 Yes
 No

Find related content

Articles, videos & help

 About Stress AnalysisPRODUCT DOCUMENTATION

 Animating a Kinematic Chain - Caulk GunSCREENCAST

 Stress Analysis tab reference PRODUCT DOCUMENTATION

Accepted forum posts

 Inventor dynamic simulation

 Dynamic simulation missing

 Water simulation

Need Help?
6. Previous | Next

Parent topic: Stress Analysis Contacts

In the structural analysis of an assembly involving multiple parts, you create contacts to
define the relationship between the parts. Contacts transfer load between parts while
preventing parts from penetrating each other. Contacts can simulate interaction
between bodies that separate or come into contact during loading. Without contacts,
parts do not interact with each other in the simulation.

There are several different contact types you can use to simulate the physical behavior
of an assembly. This tutorial presents an assembly modeled with many of the types of
contact available in Inventor Stress Analysis. The contacts have already been created,
either automatically or manually, in the model.

A model of a caulk gun illustrates different contact types and how to use them in a
static, structural analysis.

1. Click Open.
2. Set the Project File to Tutorial_Files.ipj.
3. Open Stress Analysis Contacts Caulk Gun.iam.

Previous | Next
In-Product View

SHARE

ADD TO COLLECTION

The caulk gun is an assembly which consists of several parts, some of which can move.
Several operational scenarios can exist for the caulk gun, but we chose to simulate the
assembly in a static equilibrium state.

This simulation investigates when the trigger is pulled and the pushing force on the
bottom of the caulk tube is about to overcome the internal tube resistance. At this
instant, just before caulk exits the tube, the assembly is in static equilibrium.

On the ribbon, click Environments tab Begin panel Stress Analysis to enter
the Stress Analysis environment.

Expand Caulk Gun.iam in the Stress Analysis browser. We exclude the following
components from the simulation:

 Caulk Tube [8]

 Actuator Spring [9] (not modeled, but simulated with Spring contact)
 Lock Spring [10]
 Lock [11]

Previous | Next
Parent topic: Stress Analysis Contacts
In-Product View

SHARE

ADD TO COLLECTION

Inventor Stress Analysis provides the following Contact types:

 Bonded
 Separation
 Sliding / No Separation
 Separation / No Sliding
 Shrink Fit / Sliding
 Shrink Fit / No Sliding
 Spring

In the Stress Analysis browser, expand the Contacts node to view the contact types
currently in use for the caulk gun simulation. As you create or edit contacts, they are
added under existing contact type nodes or to newly created nodes.

Bonded Contact
Products and versions covered

By:
Help
Feb 13 2014In-Product View

SHARE

ADD TO COLLECTION

The Bonded contact simulates rigid bonding of faces to each other. Typical Bonded
contacts include weld or glue joints between two parts.

In the model, the Front Frame-Main Frame and the Front Frame-Handle interfaces are
weld joints, as shown in the following image. You use Bonded contacts to simulate
these joints in the simulation.
Separation Contact
Products and versions covered

By:
Help
Feb 13 2014In-Product View

SHARE

ADD TO COLLECTION

The Separation contact allows separation between parts but prohibits part penetration.
In the model, the pin end of the trigger contacts the actuator. When you pull the trigger,
the pin end of the trigger pushes the actuator forward. When the trigger is released, the
pin end and the actuator can separate. Since the pin end cannot penetrate the actuator
and separation can occur between the parts, the contact relationship is simulated with
the Separation contact.

Previous | Next

Parent topic: Stress Analysis Contacts

Sliding and No Separation Contact
Products and versions covered

By:
Help
Feb 13 2014In-Product View

SHARE

ADD TO COLLECTION

The Sliding/No Separation contact allows relative sliding between contact faces, but
prohibits separation.

Sliding/No Separation can occur between planar faces like the Trigger-Handle interface.
It can also occur between circular faces such as the Pin-Handle and Pin-Trigger
interfaces.

It can also occur between circular faces such as the Pin-Handle and Pin-Trigger
interfaces.
Separation and No Sliding Contact
Products and versions covered

By:
Help
Feb 13 2014In-Product View

SHARE
 ADD TO COLLECTION

The Separation/No Sliding contact allows contact faces to separate, but prohibits
relative sliding when they touch.

For the Actuator-Plunger interface, the Separation/No Sliding contact is appropriate.

When the trigger is pulled, the actuator is pushed forward. This results in separation
between the top surface of the plunger and the actuator. At the same time, engagement
occurs between the bottom surface of the plunger and the actuator. It is reasonable to
assume that the engagement/separation occurs without slippage between the actuator
and plunger.

In the following image, note that the surfaces of the plunger and actuator are split into
multiple faces. In this manner, the contact surfaces are more explicitly defined.

Previous | Next

Parent topic: Stress Analysis Contacts

Shrink Fit and No Sliding Contact

Products and versions covered
By:
Help
Feb 13 2014In-Product View

SHARE

ADD TO COLLECTION

The Shrink Fit/No Sliding contact simulates conditions like Separation/No Sliding with
the parts in an initial state of interference.

The model has a ring that tightly fits the front frame and prevents the caulk tube from
exiting the caulk gun when the plunger moves forward. The front face of the ring
registers against the front frame without penetration. Therefore, this interface is
simulated with the Separation contact.

The outer diameter of the ring has an interference fit with the front frame. The ring is
press fit into the frame so that it remains in position without a caulk gun in place. This
press fit allows the operator to push the ring out easily and replace it with a different
size, as appropriate. The outer diameter of the ring and the front frame can separate
without sliding. Since they are initially in a state of interference, the Shrink Fit/No Sliding
contact is appropriate.
Previous | Next

Parent topic: Stress Analysis Contacts

Spring Contact
Products and versions covered

By:
Help
Feb 13 2014In-Product View

SHARE
 ADD TO COLLECTION

The Spring contact simulates conditions of a spring between two faces.

In the model, the actuator spring is simulated using a Spring contact. The use of the
Spring contact eliminates complexities associated with modeling the physical spring
part.

Loads and Constraints

Products and versions covered

By:
Help
Feb 13 2014In-Product View
 SHARE

ADD TO COLLECTION

With the contacts defined, proceed further with the model analysis.

To use the caulk gun, you hold the handle and pull the trigger. From the static analysis
point of view, the components are under force and deform before the plunger head
moves the bottom of the tube. We can reasonably assume that the components deform
relative to the main frame. As such, we can apply a:

 Fixed constraint on the main frame edge [12]

 Force on the handle [13]
 Force on the trigger [14]
 Force on the plunger head [15]
 Force on the ring [16]
The tube is held in place by the front frame, ring, and plunger head. When the force
from plunger head is large enough, the bottom of the tube moves further into the tube
and pushes caulk out of the nozzle. For the static analysis, we simulate the instant at
which the force on the tube bottom is in equilibrium with the tube resistance. Before the
tube bottom moving, we examine the stress and deformation of the whole structure and
components.

Simulation Results
Products and versions covered

By:
Help
Feb 13 2014In-Product View

SHARE

ADD TO COLLECTION

1. On the Stress Analysis tab, Solve panel, click Simulate .

2. On the Simulate dialog box, click Run to begin the simulation.

The Simulate dialog box remains open, displaying the progress bar, until the
computation is complete.
When the simulation finishes, a deformation plot of the model is shown in the graphics
window. The Von Mises Stress results are also displayed using the default color bar

settings. On the Display panel, click Maximum Value to view the maximum stress
and its location.

The maximum Von Mises Stress of approximately 291 MPa occurs on the Pin. To view
the location of maximum stress, turn off the visibility of all parts except the Pin.

As this stress is greater than the Pin material (steel) yield strength of 207 MPa, the
analysis indicates the Pin will yield. To meet strength criteria, you modify the design or
change the Pin material.
Note: In this tutorial, the model is intended to illustrate the contact types and their application.
Some contact areas such as the Plunger-Actuator interface are small. Take care when providing
spring stiffness and force values as the displacement and stress results are sensitive to
parameter values. Also note that some parts may have areas of large deformation, which are
better suited to a nonlinear analysis.