DETERMINATION OF THE STRESSES PRESENT IN A HY-VO CHAIN SPROCKET USING MULTIBODY SIMULATION AND FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

Abstract: In this master thesis, a new way of approaching the dynamic loads on a Hy-Vo chain sprocket was investigated and analyzed. Though the approach was not new on the market, it was new to BorgWarner, whose calculations on the matter to this date have been based on approximations. The objective for investigation is in the long end to choose optimal material properties of the sprockets to meet the requirement and to be able to virtually verify expected mechanical life. The optimization is cost-driven, with the aim to see whether or not a change in manufacturing method to powder metallurgy is possible. The work was set to three major parts; first, the multi-body simulation, where the force levels, and force distribution between sprocket teeth, are analyzed and calculated. Second, to determine the stress levels the sprocket teeth experience, an analytical contact analysis using hertizan theory was used, and the finite element method to determine the tooth root bending stresses. Third, the fatigue calculation was done using Palmgren-Miner rule on cumulative damage.