Preparation of CAD Software for Design and Analysis of Base Frames of Standard Industrial Gearboxes

Abstract

The objective of this project is to develop CAD software to automatically design and analyze the base frames for standard type of industrial gearboxes. This project can be divided into two main parts. In the first part, the objective is to develop CAD software for drawing base frames of standard industrial gearboxes using Auto CAD 2000. Second part of the project deals with the stress analysis of the base frame using ANSYS program.

For development of CAD software Auto LISP language was used. Design of these base frames depends on the gearbox dimensions, which are taken from the Elecon catalogues. This software is developed keeping in mind the user friendliness and flexibility in designing. Here in this project the method employed for software development was explained. The algorithm used for development was also mentioned. This software can be run using Auto CAD 2000. While execution of this software it will give option to select gearbox type and size. By selecting gearbox type and size we can generate drawings of base frame using this software. This software was also provided with a facility to draw new designs. For this we need to supply the parameters of the gearbox first time and these can be utilized again and again to draw base frames of new gearboxes as well.

Stress analysis of the base frame can be performed using a macro that is developed in APDL (Ansys parametric design language). This macro is used to develop the model of the base frame for the stress analysis. This macro takes the parameters of base frame as input. Using this input it generates the model. Force analysis is taken up to find the forces that are coming on the base frame from gearbox to use in analysis. ANSYS workbench software is used for stress analysis. From the analysis equivalent stress, maximum shear stress, maximum deflection, safety factor and critical stress zones were found out. Modal analysis of the base frame was also done. From the modal analysis natural frequencies for different modes are found.