A Dual-pronged approach for evaluation of contact stresses in nylon hybrid composite gears under misalignment

Abstract

Polymer based composite gears have been a subject of intense studies by virtue of their wide gamut of applications. The authors have therefore embarked on developing a polymer-based composite with Graphene oxide (GO) and Tungsten Di-sulphide (TD) as reinforcements specifically for gear-based applications. The work outlined in this paper mainly deals with the fabrication of spur gears with the developed composite and investigating the contact stresses induced in these gears under misalignment of shafts. A dual-pronged approach is adopted in this procedure. The first being simulation studies using ANSYS WORKBENCH, while, the second and the most vital approach is through experimentation. The experimental approach required the design and development of a universal gear test rig (GTR) equipped with Data Acquisition System [DAS], which was successfully accomplished. The GTR was particularly premeditated to accommodate and adjust the alignment of the shaft axes. The experimentation was conducted under radial, axial and angular misalignments and combinations thereof. The composite material developed for this specific application was observed to function effectively in-comparison to the existing gear materials particularly under misalignment. The strains and stresses obtained from analytical and experimental methods were compared and found to be nearly identical under corresponding misalignments. Furthermore, it can be deduced from the studies that the combined effect of radial and yaw misalignments produces the highest strain, which is in fact, almost ten times that of strain in other forms of misalignment. The results of this research work will contribute in enhancing the understanding of nylon composite gear’s performance under misalignment conditions, enabling the best maintenance practices in industries.