Experimental study on the dynamic characteristics of spline joint in rotor system

Abstract

The spline joint is widely used in rotor system. The stiffness of joint is always smaller than the geometry nominally same structure without interface, meanwhile the dynamic characteristics are complicated because of existing of contact surface which affects rotor’s stiffness and dynamics further. In this paper, experimental studies of spline joint specimen are completed by two methods which include dynamic sinusoidal excitation experiment, and acoustic emission propagation experiment. The results indicate that the joint behaves nonlinearly, and the energy dissipation varies with nut’s torque and contact tolerance, meanwhile the contact status changes with the load. At last, the static stiffness test of a rotor with spline joint is completed, the influence of the key parameters are analyzed. The stiffness of rotor with spline joint varies with external loads and geometry structures. The technology in controlling the mechanical and dynamic properties of the rotor with joints by careful adjusting of geometry, load and assembly during designing should be attached great importance.