Compliant universal joint with preformed flexible segments

KARAKUŞ R., Tanik C. M.

JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, vol.36, no.11, pp.5639-5648, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 36 Issue: 11
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s12206-022-1026-5
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Compendex, INSPEC, Metadex, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.5639-5648
  • Keywords: Additive manufacturing, Compliant mechanism, Constant velocity joint, Universal joint, DESIGN, ORIENTATION
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This paper introduces an original, fully compliant universal joint design. Many mechanisms with different dimensions are investigated. The proposed design is a single-piece compliant mechanism. The number of flexible segments is a design parameter determined as a function of transferred torque. The mechanism can be produced by additive manufacturing from polylactic acid and polypropylene. It is possible to produce the proposed design as a single piece of polypropylene by additive manufacturing and injection molding methods; thus, it has the advantage of ease in manufacturing. The proposed design's bending and torque transmission capacities are determined by applying analytical and numerical methods. Furthermore, a prototype was manufactured, and experiments were conducted. It is verified that the results of the experiments are consistent with theoretical approaches. The proposed fully compliant universal joint design has a great potential in the industry.