USC STEAM 2024: Spreader Beam Engineering

Scope of Our Mission

The spreader beam group consisted of George Abdel-Messih, Sam Cuba, and Sam Crossley. They were tasked with creating a spreader beam capable of lifting 8,000 lbs. They began this project with little idea as to what a spreader beam was. However, through the project learned new Inventor tasks and modeling methods to optimize performance and meet industry standards.

Our Journey

Initial Research and Concept Development

The first step in our project was to understand the constraints of the beam we were to design. Being a good balance of cost and strength, there was a large focus on steel alloys and stainless steel products.

Original I-Beam Design and Stress Testing

Our first design was entirely an I-beam with a hook and two holes through the beam for lifting. As we modeled, we would adjust the dimensions of the beam to compensate for major weak points and save cost where it was available. Through our studies and assistance from our EAFab mentor, we learned that the strength exceeded the requirements for the project. Significant changes were necessary to align the design with the requested load capacity and safety factor.

Exploration of New Designs: T-Beam and Square Tube Models

We began testing different designs, two of which were a T-beam and a square tubing model. The idea for a T-beam design was sparked by feedback from our mentor and a second glance at the I-beam model's over-engineering. Crossley's work on the T-beam design was intended to improve integrity while reducing material. He modified major components, such as creating inner supports, to reduce overall weight while maintaining strength. A stress analysis result showed an improved balance between material use and strength, though changes were still needed to meet recommendations. Alongside the T-beam development, Sam Cuba was modeling the square tube design. Initially, Cuba worked with this model to provide alternatives to the I-beam. However, difficulties with the stress analysis and modeling led to the conclusion of the square tube design as a final product.

Material Selection and Manufacturing Considerations

A branch of our project was to get a rough estimate of the material cost of feasible manufacturing methods. After considering using custom-made I-beams or mass-produced ones, we concluded that M&K Metal Co. had the best fit dimensions for our necessary specifications. George mentioned that the dimensions of the beam would be slightly off from their model, but the cost saved from having a custom-made beam tailored exactly to the product's needs would be worthwhile.

Final Solution

After modeling multiple designs and enacting stress analysis on all of them, we settled on a final I-beam design to present. While the T-beam showed promise in strength-weight ratio, it couldn't reach the capabilities of the I-beam. The goal was to meet the 8,000lbs weight requirement while ensuring the correct safety factor, and after refining dimensions and removing stress points to achieve the Von Mises stress between 13-16KSI we came to a final design.

Through this project, we gained real-world experience with Inventor. Using Autodesk Inventor 2025 for modeling and stress analysis to create multiple designs, then refining them from stress results and optimized material usage. We learned the importance of having a balance between structural integrity and material, and needed multiple iterations of a design to solve complex problems.

USC STEAM Students who worked on the project: Sam Crossley, George Abdel-Messih, and Sam Cuba.