Analysis Of Rzeppa Universal Joint Force And Wear Simulation

Rzeppa universal joint as one of the key parts of the car,is a common configuration of the Fixed End Assembly in Constant-velocity joint driveshaft.The force analysis and wear analysis play important roles to reduce maintenance times,reduce maintenance costs and improve automotive quality.The purpose of this paper is to discuss the relationship among the inter-axle swing angle(known as articulation),rotational speed,and forces on inner shell and outer shell under different working conditions for seven grooves Rzeppa universal joint,in comparison with traditional six grooves Rzeppa universal joint.By analyzing spatial kinematics,space dynamics,contact stress and wear angles,this research shows that the innovative universal joint has significant advantages on kinetic performance.The research result has been tested by simulating zero-degree of articulation model and 35-degree of articulation model in Multibody System Dynamics(MSD)under Adams’ Virtual Prototyping.