Modal and Transient Response Analysis for Complex Gear-Bearing System

Abstract

The radar antenna pedestal is a complex gear-bearing system including three rotary motions, i.e. horizontal rolling, pitching rotation and azimuth rotation. In this paper, spring-dashpot elements and connection elements are applied to simulate gear meshing and bearing connection respectively. Moreover, the equivalent average stiffness and damping of teeth meshing and bearing connection are calculated. Then, quadrilateral shell elements, hexahedral elements, wedgy elements, connection elements and spring-dashpot elements are employed to build the finite element (FE) model of the gear-bearing system in Hypermesh software. Via intermediate file, the model is imported into ABAQUS software for modal analysis whose solutions agree well with experimental data. Then, impact acceleration is imposed on the three bolts of the underpan along the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis respectively. Dynamic stress distribution and regulation changing with time under impact load are obtained. From the numerical solutions, the regions where stress and deformation is lager are found. The method can provide significant reference to analysis and optimum design of the similar system.