Modeling and simulation of flexible slider-crank mechanism with clearance for a closed high speed press system

The traditional model of a slider-crank mechanism for a closed high speed press system always neglects the flexibility of the crank shaft and considers only one revolute clearance joint between the linkage and the slider. This causes any analysis to have a low accuracy. In this work, a rigid-flexible coupling model of the slider-crank mechanism is described, using the software ADAMS, in which the crank shaft and linkage are treated as flexible bodies, and the effect of the clearance of the joints between the crank shaft and the main linkage, and between the main linkage and the main slider are taken into account. The dynamic response of the mechanism with clearance under no-load and piling conditions is explored for the case of a mechanism with a rigid crank shaft and linkage, and the case with a flexible crank shaft and linkage. The simulation results showed that the dynamic response of the mechanism was greatly influenced by the clearance and the motion of the crank shaft center was characterized by three phases: free flight motion, contact motion and impact motion. The influence of the clearance size, input crank shaft speed, and number of clearance joints on the dynamic response of the mechanism was also investigated. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.