Section Modulus calculation and optimization

Section modulus is the ratio between moment of inertia & distance between the neutral axis and the extreme end of the object.It's a geometry property of the specified object.

Section profile creation:

Plan created at center of the hood in horizontal direction.

Then using intersection command section profile extracted at that plan.

Then inside sketch we joined top of the outer panel & bottom of the inner panel.

Section inertia analysis report generated

We can consider minimum value of MOI.

That is 13681.63267 mm^4

Outer dimension of the part is 878mm.Distance between neutral axis & Exteme outer is half of its value. So it is 439mm.

Section modulus S=13681.63267/439=31.165mm^3.

For evaluation purpose

I have just increased inner panel thickness for 0.5mm by editing the profile sketch.

Then section inertia analysis generated again for this new profile.

Now MOI is 13840.46816mm^4.

Section modulus S=13840.46816/439=31.527mm^3.

So the Section modulus value increased in second case.

Strength of the material is more for higher section modulus value.

Hence we can conclude that strength of the part can be increased by its thickness.