Design, analysis and fabrication of a 3D printed ABS wheel hub for an autonomous agricultural robot

Abstract

Wheel Assemblies in a Traditional Vehicle or a Robot Consists of a Knuckle, Hub, Bearings and Wheel usually assembled as a Single Part. The materials used to make these components are cast iron, Aluminium alloys, Ductile iron, mild steel etc. Usage of an alternative material like ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) has been proposed in this work which is intended to reduce the overall weight of the wheel assembly. Due to the Lightweight of hub and wheel would reduce the Inertia, the work done to stop or move the vehicle will also be reduced. In this work a 3D Printed ABS wheel hub has been proposed by conducting required analysis with suitable three-dimensionaldesign yielding reliable Factor of Safety with reduction in weight and hence making ABS a usable material for the wheel hubs. The characteristics of ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) like good mechanical strength, mechanical damping ability with good fatigue resistance, Stiffness and ease of manufacturing gives the material an upper hand over other plastic polymers in reducing the mass without compromising on safety and strength.