Optimization design of modal sensitivity of a vehicle drive axle shell with prestressing force

ZHANG Jun
(Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Jiangyin Polytechnic College, Jiangyin 214405, China)

Abstract: Aiming at the problem of the vehicle axle shell lower order modal frequency too high, the truck drive axle housing was studied. The key dimensions of the axle housing as design variables were considered, the modal with prestressing force analysis was carried out, and the first six natural frequencies and vibration modes of the structure were obtained. The influence of the design variables of the axle shell on the lower order modal frequency was obtained by the sensitivity analysis method. The design variables were chosen based on sensitivity analysis, then the lower order modal frequency was improved, the overall structural mass constraint condition was considered as not more than 65 kg, then the structure of the axle housing was optimized.The optimize result was shown that the lower order modal frequency was increased 10 Hz, while the mass of the axle housing was not higher than the upper limit. Then the strength and stiffness analysis of the optimized model was analyzed. Finally, the vertical bending strength and bending stiffness of the drive axle housing were tested by the testbench. The results indicate that design variables are chosen according to the analysis of design variables on modal sensitivity, then the lower order modal frequency of the drive axle housing can be improved. The test result is consistent with the analysis results after verified by testing.
Key words: drive axle shell; modal sensitivity;frequency;optimize design