Virtual prototyping and validation of an automatic washing machine

An automatic washing machine vibrates with lager amplitudes and noise during the spin-dry cycle, which affects human health and machine reliability. In this paper, we are interested in the study of the dynamic performance of a drum washing machine, with springs top-mounted and dampers bottom-mounted. A novel model for simulation of the dynamic performance of the drum washing machine was developed under MSC.ADAMS software package. Next, simulations and validations were performed. The simulation results indicated good agreement with the mechanical performance of the actual test system, which demonstrated the validity of the dynamic model to predict the displacements of the tub center during the spin-dry cycle. Moreover, the developed model was capable of successfully simulating drum washer operating test for various dynamic responses of the given parts by building Measures or using Markers at the transient or steady-state, which could afford better support for designers to explore the robustness of the cabinet.