Finite element modelling of strains and stresses in platinum alloy bushings for textile glass fibre production

Platinum components are now very widely used in the manufacture and process ing of glass. At first sight it is, therefore, surprising that finite eleme nt modelling (FEM) is seldom used in their design. The reason for this omis sion is to be found in the specific type of mechanical loading at high temp eratures and the lack of appropriate mechanical property data for the struc tural materials. Using the example of a glass fibre bushing from an indirec t melt fiberizing process, the paper will demonstrate the use of FEM to det ermine the stresses resulting from the hydrostatic pressure of the glass me lt, the intrinsic weight of the bushing, the stresses caused by the forces applied to withdraw the fibres from the bushing, and the stresses induced b y the inhomogeneous temperature distribution in the bushing. On the basis o f these model calculations it was possible to localize regions of stress co ncentrations, to select an appropriate structural material and to modify th e component design to reduce the stresses.