Overview

As part of the Computer Aided Engineering course (4GC00) at TU Eindhoven, our team of 7 redesigned the COLORADO 1650 printer carriage to meet strict dynamic performance requirements. The printer carriage is subject to vibrations from bearings, motors, and a chiller unit — all contributing to a problematic natural frequency around 50 Hz. Our goal was to shift all eigenfrequencies above 50 Hz (with a 10% safety margin to 55 Hz) and ensure no significant Bode plot peaks below 75 Hz.

Full Report — Printer Carriage Dynamic Redesign

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The Problem

The existing carriage design had eigenfrequencies overlapping with the 50 Hz vibration sources in the machine, causing resonance that led to:

Dot mispositioning in the y-direction during printing
Inconsistent print quality
Potential damage to sensitive components

The challenge was to create a frequency mismatch between the carriage's natural frequencies and external vibration sources while maintaining structural integrity, minimizing weight, and keeping manufacturing costs low for ~1000 units/year.

Design Approach

We followed a three-step iterative design process:

Baseline analysis — Identified problematic eigenfrequencies using FEA with both compliant spring and RBE2 element configurations
Component redesign — Strategically stiffened the carriage through 10 new/modified parts, each targeting specific vibrational modes
Verification — Eigenfrequency analysis, Bode plot evaluation, and mesh refinement study

Key Design Decisions

Parts 1, 3, 4, 9: Connected side plates to the front center module, reducing X-axis rotation and Y-axis compression
Parts 2, 5, 10: Extended the middle section with additional attachment points, taking load off the hinge system
Parts 6, 7: Enclosed lateral plates with both external and internal support for balanced dynamic performance
Part 8: L-shaped bearing support to resist Z and X-axis rotation

Results

All eigenfrequencies were pushed well above the 75 Hz target:

| Mode | Eigenfrequency (Hz) | |------|---------------------| | 1-8 | > 75 Hz | | 9-10 | > 100 Hz |

The FEA-based Bode plots confirmed no significant peaks below 75 Hz, meeting all dynamic requirements with margin to spare.

What I Learned

This project taught me to think about mechanical design from a dynamic perspective — not just static strength, but how structures respond to vibration. The iterative process of running eigenfrequency analysis, identifying problematic modes, and strategically adding stiffness became a powerful design methodology. Working with an industry-relevant application (Canon printer hardware) added practical context to the FEA theory.

Technologies Used