Dynamic Modeling of Synchronous Belt-Drives Using an Explicit Finite Element Code

A time-accurate explicit time-integration finite element code is used to simulate the dynamic response of synchronous belts-drives. The belt is modeled using beam or truss elements. The sprockets are modeled as cylindrical rigid bodies. Normal contact between the belt and a sprocket is modeled using the penalty technique and friction is modeled using an asperity-based approximate Coulomb friction model. The belt teeth/grooves are assumed to be located at the belt nodes (every fixed number of belt nodes). The nodes in-between teeth are subjected to the normal contact and tangential friction forces. The belt and sprocket teeth are assumed to be trapezoidal. The equivalent belt-sprocket tooth stiffness and damping coefficients in the normal tooth contact direction are used to calculate a normal tooth contact force at the belt teeth nodes. The tooth contact model also includes the effect of the tooth engagement tolerance. For validation purposes, a two-sprocket drive is modeled and a comparison is made between tooth loads predicted by the finite element model and experimental data available in the literature. Reasonable agreement between the simulation and experimental results is found of the drive’s tooth loads. Also, the dynamic response of a hybrid sprocket – flat pulley belt-drive is studied.