EFFICIENCY OF 3D PRINTER CYCLOIDAL DRIVE

The results of studying the efficiency of a 3D printer drive equipped with a cycloidal gearbox are presented. The process of torque transmission from the input shaft to the output shaft is described, and all types of friction occurring in the gearbox components are analyzed: in the bearing of the cycloidal disk, between the disk teeth and the central rollers, between the output rollers and the disk holes, as well as on mating pins. It is shown that the overall efficiency of the gearbox significantly depends on the friction losses in the gear engagement. The study was conducted using a simulation model in Simulink * MATLAB, which made it possible to assess the impact of input parameters, such as torque and the rotational speed of the input shaft, on the dynamic characteristics and efficiency of the transmission. The simulation results show that efficiency increases with an increase in load (from 0.902 to 0.940) and decreases with an increase in rotational speed (from 0.935 to 0.895). Based on experimental data and analysis of mass and size characteristics, recommendations for design are given: the efficiency of a cycloidal gearbox can be increased by reducing the diameter of pins (rollers) and the eccentricity of the sun gear and pinion wheel.