Abstract
In horizontal-axis washing machines, the front gasket as well as the damping system are crucial owing to the possible collision of the tub with the housing during the transient period. However, most dynamic models for predicting tub motion focus on the steady state and consider only the suspension system without including the gasket. We conducted an experimental study to analyze the effect of the gasket on the transient motion of the tub. The results obtained indicate the necessity of implementing the gasket in the multibody model of a washing machine to accurately predict the tub behavior during this period. The gasket model is formed by a combination of Voigt elements. Stiffness parameters are determined using a load cell, and damping factors are estimated using a process that integrates Adams/View, Matlab optimization algorithms, and displacement measurements that are taken using accelerometers. A D-optimal design used to predict the effect of the gasket parameters reveals that the tub displacement is most sensitive to the changes in linear stiffness in the transversal direction. Finally, the model of the gasket provides a better approach for predicting the tub movement during resonance that can be used in the design phase to avoid tub collision.
Highlights
The design of a washing machine is challenging from the dynamic perspective because it is accentuated by the current trend of increasing the load capacity and spinning speed, as well as customers’ demand for noise comfort.A horizontal-axis washing machine is typically formed by a tub that includes a drum that is driven by a motor, suspended with two or up to four springs that are attached to a housing
As the focus of this study is to develop a model for the gasket, we briefly describe this initial dynamic model of the front load washing machine without detailing the characterization of the parameters of the suspension system
The growing demand for washing machines with higher capacity load is an extremely challenging issue for appliance design engineers, as the reduction in gap between the tub and housing increases the possibility of collision between both, mainly in the transient state
Summary
A horizontal-axis washing machine is typically formed by a tub that includes a drum that is driven by a motor, suspended with two or up to four springs that are attached to a housing. The tub is connected to the housing with two or up to five dampers at its lower portion and with a gasket at its front. The dynamic effect of the uneven distribution of clothes inside the drum is simplified to an eccentric load, which causes a tub motion of maximum amplitude during the startup ramp. In this stage, the drum speed passes through all rigid-body resonance frequencies of the system for an instant, which may cause it to become unstable. During a washing machine cycle, three effects can arise: (i) the impact of the tub with the housing or other parts such as the detergent drawer; and as a result of the force transmission between the tub and the housing through the suspension system and the gasket; (ii) walking; and (iii) housing vibration, which result in noise emission
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