Dynamic Simulation of Harmonic Gear Drives Considering Tooth Profiles Parameters Optimization

Considering the fact that load distribution of the flexspline under alternating dynamic loads is complicated, and it’s difficult to measure the stress of the flexspline by experiment, a dynamic simulation model of harmonic gear drives is established to study the intensity of the flexspline in the operating process of harmonic gear drives based on finite element method. In order to decrease the force on flexspline, by means of conjugate method, the parameters of flexspline and circular spline’s tooth profiles are optimized. A D-100 harmonic drive is simulated based on the contact theory and the explicit algorithm of the finite element method. The parameterized finite element grid of the whole harmonic gear drive model is realized by Matlab, and then the assembly process of the wave generator is simulated by ABAQUS. Meanwhile, the distribution of the flexspline stress and the load characteristics of the flexspline tooth during dynamic transmission process of a harmonic gear with parameters, before and after optimization, are analyzed. The meshing characteristics of the tooth pairs with optimized parameters are improved significantly. The fatigue fracture position on the flexspline is forecasted according to the simulation results.