Follow up with the FEA and design that went into this.
Figured someone might find it valuable.
https://imgur.com/a/rDTER2F#MmO8h0F
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See entire album but highlights are below.
The FEA is done in solidworks using the SimulationXpress Analysis Wizard. This is a " Demo" tool and doesn't allow you to perform FEA on an assembly, so the calcs were done for a single beam and modeled as a distributed load. Note that the A/C is held up by TWO brackets so double any forces that you see and double the factor of safety to get an idea of the strength of the assembly. Dimensions of the brackets are shown in the hand calcs, steel was assumed to be low carbon/mild steel, cold rolled based off it's texture and smooth finish. I got the steel from the junkyard for free so I do not have it's exact specifications.
Major props to our mechanical engineering Co-Op who had some downtime at work and modeled this for me & did the hand calcs. Im an electrical engineer so not as versed in the mechanics & materials.
Note the deflection in these models is exaggerated for scale. The max actual deflection shown is 2.05mm
Stresses at 2.05mm of endpoint deflection within beam, 1000N force ( 225 lb ). ONE BEAM
Zoomed in view of the fatigue location. Calculated factor of safety for a 1000N force ( 225 lb ), FOS2.4 ( 4.8 for entire assembly of two beams )
I found this model to be the most valuable since it shows where the likely failure point would be. Now I can add it to my list of monthly inspections to inspect this area of the bracket for any bending or deflection. Among others I inspect the battery terminals for corrosion or loose connections, check fluids, air brake bleed-off rate, etc. The monthly inspection list is rather long but necessary to stay ahead of untimely failures and breakdowns.
Hand calcs to backup / confirm model
View inside