Analysis of failure due to fatigue in transmission axles using the finite element method

Abstract

This study aims to present the application of the finite element method to perform stress and fatigue analysis on a mechanical drive axle. Drive axles are widely used in rotating machinery and are subject to fatigue problems. The rotary transmission axle in this study is supported in bearings loaded by an alternating force of 6.8 kN, wherein the axle has rounding radii all 0.003 m in size and a ground surface of AISI 1050 steel with Young’s elasticity modulus of 206.8 GPa and Poisson modulus of 0.28. We present the rupture conditions ensuing from tension as well as fatigue, for a lifetime of the transmission axle of 350,000 cycles. The quantitative results compared satisfactorily to the empirical fatigue data.