In this study, the wear behavior of a heavy load long pitch roller chain was analyzed and a wear resistance performance tester was developed to evaluate the roller chain wear life properties of the original roller chain. In the field was disassembled and compared to the experimental test results. The composite material was applied to the roller chain pin in order to confirm the weight reduction and damping effect.
The wear test results for the material used at the roller chain, SCM440 material is effective a wear characteristic and suitable for high loads. The wear test results of lubricant, SUS410-SCM440 material is suitable and lubrication is required between high load parts. Periodic lubricant supply is considered to have a significant influence on the roller chain life.
A wear resistance performance tester that is capable of adjusting the rotation speed and tension by simulating the operating environment was developed. It was confirmed that the wear property of roller chain was related to the rotation speed and tension, and the wear life was satisfied at 4.36 mm. It is believed that the wear resistance tester can be used to evaluate the wear life of high-load long-pitch roller chains of various pitches.
This research highlights the development of composite pin for roller chain by utilizing carbon prepreg through heat shrinkage fitting process. The structural analysis was used to confirm the stress distribution depending on the lamination thickness of the composite material.
The stresses on the plates and pins of the roller chain were analyzed. Performing structural analysis by applying a maximum load, it was judged that the optimum design of the composites pin ware the inner diameter of Φ20 mm and the outer diameter of Φ36.5 mm. Experimental results of Φ34 mm outer diameter of composite fin made from prototype, The damping ratio increased by 27 % compared with the metal material, and the weight reduction was 18.6 %.
In addition, present research also focused on the development of hybrid-fiber-reinforced composites using a vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding technique using low-cost flax fibers, carbon fiber, glass fibers, and a vinyl ester resin. Flax fibers are introduced to modulate mechanical properties, green credentials, cost, and the weight of carbon/glass/vinyl ester composites. The hybridization effect of flax, carbon, and glass fibers on mechanical properties, including tensile and flexural strengths, flexural modulus, impact strength, inter-laminar shear strength, and damping is evaluated, and confirmed by observing SEM micrography. The dynamic mechanical analysis was carried out for the composites with a three-point bending mode with a frequency range of 0 to 100 Hz.
The results experimental reveal, that hybrid composites with flax and glass fabric had the highest flexural strength (727.8 MPa) and impact strength (0.171 J/mm2) compared with other composites. The dynamic mechanical analysis also showed that the highest value of Tan δ (0.072) and damping ratio (2.75 %) were obtained compared with other hybrid composites.