Finite Element Analysis of Skid (Base Frame) for Screw Compressor

A base frame, commonly referred to as a skid frame, is a rigid structural platform designed to support machinery and its associated components by providing a uniform mounting surface. These frames are typically composed of structural members with varying cross-sections and are essential in applications where stability, alignment, and structural integrity are critical. In the context of screw compressors especially those enclosed within a canopy for noise reduction, safety, and transportation base frames play a crucial role in maintaining operational efficiency and equipment longevity. This paper presents the design and validation of a base frame tailored for a screw compressor operating under known power and load conditions. A three-dimensional CAD model was created using Autodesk Inventor 2023, followed by finite element analysis (FEA) in ANSYS to ensure structural safety. Additionally, an optimization study was carried out using a nature-inspired Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm implemented in MATLAB to minimize the weight of the frame without compromising performance. The core objective of this work is to design a base frame with structurally efficient members optimized according to the load distribution on each component.