Finite Element Analysis of Tire High-speed Uniformity Testing Machine
The tire high-speed uniformity testing machine (THUTM) is a testing equipment to measure the mechanical characteristic parameters under the condition of high speed and load, which is a precise detection system with a high added value. In this paper, a finite element model of the high-speed tire uniformity machine is established based on the generating mechanism, test method and factors of tire uniformity. Thereafter, statics and vibration characteristics of the model are analysed and the whole displacement, stress distribution and the dynamic characteristics are obtained. The simulation results show that the designed test system meets the requirement of strength, stiffness and stability. The present research results can provide technical support to improve the structure design and test accuracy of tire high-speed uniformity testing machine. Introduction The tire uniformity testing machine (TUTM) is a kind of detection equipment used to test circular force variation of the tire under loading, which can give the uniformity parameters of tire directly. The core technical indexes to measure the equipment are its precision and repeatability[1,2]. At present, tire manufacturers at home and abroad generally use low speed tire uniformity testing equipment to obtain the uniformity parameters of tire. But for low speed tire uniformity testing machine, the measured mechanical properties of tire whose rotational speeds around 60rpm (60rpm on a 700mm outside diameter tire = 8km/h) can’t truly reflect the current vehicle’s tire mechanical properties under normal speed about 120km/h or above[3]. Cars have been an indispensable traffic tools and the automobile industry is a national key development industry. With the rapid development of society, technology and the highway, vehicle’s speed is improving continuously. At the same time, the safely and comfort of car have been a focus problem for people. So, how to get tire high speed uniformity parameters to provide actual operation condition of tire performance for vehicle manufacturers is an important issue. The standards of the United States and European Union both put the performance of the tires at high speed as the basis of measuring tire quality. For example, the FMVSS–139 standards of the United States presented in 2005 and the EU Reach regulation are both show that tire needs to detect the high speed performance. In addition, EU regulates that tires which meet the standard can only enter the European market. Which is expected in the near future is that the detection of tire high speed uniformity parameters will become an essential link for tire production. Nowadays, the tire high-speed uniformity machine which tire manufacturers used are mainly from Japan, the United States, Germany and other developed countries. The technical level about THUTM in the domestic is almost blank. If we still don’t the research and development about THUTM to compete with foreign products, the monopoly of foreign products is difficult to break and this will seriously hinder the development of domestic tire industry. When testing the parameter of tire uniformity, if the mechanical properties of testing system’s structure of THUTM can’t meet the testing requirement such as the insufficient of strength and rigidity, the center line of drum shaft and tire revolving shaft will produce certain deviation, which thus affects the accuracy of measurement. Meanwhile, with the working of dynamo, the rotating of