Optimization of the Form and Size of the Rubber Coating for Sheaves Lifting Equipment

Abstract

In modern lifting equipment, polymer cables with a lifting capacity of up to 60 tons are widely used. To create the required traction ability, the surface of the steel pulley in contact with a polymer cable has a rubber coating. At the same time, a number of requirements are imposed on the properties of rubber for coatings: maximum friction coefficient, high wear resistance, high load capacity and durability. In this work, the problems of choosing rubber compositions for creating rubber coatings on the working surface of heavily loaded pulleys of lifting and transport equipment in contact with a polymer cable made of high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) were experimentally solved. The compositions of the rubbers were evaluated by their tribological properties and load capacity. Using the finite element method (FEM) allowed us to create a finite element model of the contact of the cable with the surface of the rubber layer on the pulley. Based on the analysis of this model, the durability of the layers of various rubbers from the point of view of the formation of fatigue cracks and their durability in terms of wear were studied.