A Finite Element Study of a Patient Lift Conceptual Design

Developing countries such as Latin America and the Caribbean must be innovative in solving common engineering problems. Particularly due to limited access to resources that are more readily available in developed countries. Further, the costs associated with developing a solution can be overwhelming to most developing countries. As an example, a detailed study reviews the prominent reason why healthcare providers sustain injuries during lifting and transferring patients. A cost effective approach is presented to designing a patient lift device analyzing three different materials. A design optimization is achieved by performing a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of the lift’s boom. Design optimizations for material, shell thickness and geometry were then applied to all elements of the lift. The method and results are presented for design considerations of steel, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), and aluminum.