Rotating shaft

[buggles]

Hi, I've modelled a shaft with bearings using an equivalent density to simulate the mass of a 24 tonne rotor.

I used SOLID187 elements throughout, and the contact manager for rotation at the bearings; TARGE170 for the rigid bearings; and CONTA174 for the rotating shaft.

The shaft is to rotate using standard gravitational acceleration - nothing more.

My model converges using standard 'g' and also when I apply the rotation; the problem I have is applying the constraints to the bracket I've modelled which will be used to stop the shaft from rotating during transport.

I've rigidly held the outer areas of the bearings to allow for rotation of the shaft. The problem is at the drive end of the shaft where the bracket is situated. Here the drive part of the shaft has no bearing load on the bracket vertically of horizontally - only in rotation.

Constraint wise what is the best solution? I've held this part of the shaft in Y (vertical) and Z (axial) directions
and one or the other.

Not happy with some of the results - can anyone please advise on the best solution to this?

Buggles

 

[buggles]

No need to reply to this thread, I held the aprropriate contact point in UY direction only which allowed for rotation in the UZ and obtained satisfactory results.

Buggles