A study on stress and vibration analysis of a steel and hybrid flexspline for harmonic drive

The conventional speed reducer uses the concept of rigid bodies, but the ha rmonic drive is operated by the elastic theory. As for this, harmonic drive shows different characteristics in operation principles and analysis compa red to the conventional ones. Flexspline with components of harmonic drive can generate repeated vibration by the wave generator. Thus flexspline shou ld have a good vibration characteristic. In this paper, a study on stress, deformation and related vibration characteristics using the finite element method tool has been carried out on the flexspline as a part of speed reduc er. The damping ratio of composite flexspline is also five times as high as that of the steel flexspline. As a result of this study, composite flexspl ine has shown an improved quality compared to the conventional steel flexsp line at the natural frequency, stiffness and damping capacity. (C) 2000 Pub lished by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.