Validation of the analytical Mix-kneader shaft design using finite element analysis

Abstract The purpose of this study was to carry out a numerical structural analysis of the Mix-kneader shaft using the Finite Element Method (FEM). The shaft model was built in SolidWorks and analyzed using ANSYS Workbench 2022 R2. Results showed a maximum deformation of 0.000052395 m, equivalent von-Mises stress of 51.48 MPa (25% of the 207 MPa yield strength of stainless steel 304), and a maximum shear stress of 10.65 MPa, significantly below the 51.75 MPa permissible shear limit. The factor of safety ranged between 1.67 and 5. A fatigue life of 3 million minutes (approx. 6 years) was predicted. These findings confirm the shaft’s design is structurally sound and reliable under operational loads, making it suitable for small-scale industrial soap processors in Uganda. This study contributes a validated FEM-based design approach for rotary shafts under combined torsion and bending loads.