Multiaxial Critical Plane Strain Life Analysis for Conformal Cooled Tooling
Multiaxial critical plane strain-life analysis models out-of-phase thermal and pressure fatigue on internal conformal cooling walls to prevent die failure.
Critical Plane
Meaning
A mathematical plane within a material experiences the maximum combination of shear and normal strain during cyclic loading. The critical plane represents the specific orientation where fatigue cracks are most likely to initiate and propagate under multiaxial stress. It acts as the focus of calculations when assessing the durability of current collector foils or welded tabs in battery modules.
Designers locate this plane to predict failure in components subjected to non-proportional loading.
Stress Analysis
Locating the orientation of maximum damage requires scanning all possible angles of a component under load. The critical plane approach resolves complex stress tensors into local normal and shear components for each candidate plane. It calculates the cumulative damage value for each orientation until the highest value is found.
Anode Failure
Current collector foils undergo repeated stretching as silicon-dominant anodes swell during charging. Applying critical plane analysis to the copper foil reveals the precise areas vulnerable to micro-cracking from these localized volume changes. Engineers use this information to modify the tension on the winding line.
Design Optimization
Modifying the geometry of terminal welds reduces the strain localized along the vulnerable surface of the weld. The critical plane method guides these geometric adjustments to maximize the vibration resistance of cell connectors. Proper orientation of these connectors prevents premature mechanical failure.