APPLICATION OF ADHESIVE JOINING TECHNOLOGY FOR MANUFACTURING OF THE COMPOSITE FLEXSPLINE FOR A HARMONIC DRIVE

A new manufacturing method for the cup-type composite flexspline for a harmonic drive was developed using adhesive joining technology to obv iate the manufacturing difficulty of the conventional one-piece cup-ty pe steel flexspline and to improve the dynamic characteristics of the flexspline. In this method, the boss, tube and tooth sections of the f lexspline were designed and manufactured separately, and adhesively bo nded. The tube section was manufactured with high strength carbon fibe r epoxy composite material and its dynamic properties were compared wi th those of the conventional steel flexspline. The torque transmission capability of the adhesively-bonded joint was numerically calculated using the nonlinear shear stress-strain relationship which was represe nted by an exponential form. From the test results of the manufactured composite flexspline and the conventional steel flexspline, it was fo und that the manufactured composite flexspline had better torque trans mission characteristics. Also, it was found that the damping capacity of the composite flexspline was considerably improved.