Otimização topológica de engrenagem cilíndrica de dentes retos

Abstract

Gears are fundamental elements in mechanical designs and make up systems of transmission and motion. Due to their larger number of teeth and size compared to a pinion, crowns distribute loads more evenly, resulting in lower stress levels during operation, which is one of the factors that enhance the potential for mass reduction studies in this component. Topology optimization is a technique that aims to reduce the mass of structures without compromising their structural properties. This technique has proven to be important for engineering and research, contributing to the development of more efficient, safe, and sustainable products. This work aims to topologically optimize a AISI 1045 steel crown with a mass of 3.05275 kg and a safety factor of 5.2. CAD modeling and optimization were performed using SolidWorks software. Three new geometries were obtained, with one of them showing the highest mass reduction, nearly 43% of the total mass and almost 90% considering the design domain. The safety factor of the optimized crown ranged from 4.7 to 5.2, indicating the suitability of the new geometry. The study demonstrated that topological optimization is an effective tool for reducing the mass of cylindrical gears with straight teeth while maintaining an adequate safety factor.