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2008 Issues Archive
25 June 2008
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Software aids fast design of gearboxes
Romax has launched an updated version of its design and analysis software, making it quicker and easier for engineers to create gearboxes and transmission systems.
The Nottingham-based firm has introduced version R12.6 of its Romax Designer software which is used for the modelling, simulation and analysis of geared transmission systems.
The integrated software enables issues such as durability, noise and vibration to be dealt with as a whole, thereby allowing complex trade-offs to be made up-front in the design cycle.
The latest version features improved speed and ergonomics, said James Mitchell, Romax applications engineer for the UK and southern Europe. “The R12.6 software now has quicker analysis and file management capabilities. There is also a new user interface which is more usable and intuitive.”
Modules aimed at improving Designer’s interface with other third-party software packages have also been developed. These include packages for use with Ansol software in the area of hypoid gear design and for users of Catia V5 computer-aided design.
“These modules increase the synergy between Designer and other packages, making it easier to import and export files from one to another,” said Mitchell.
The growth of the wind energy sector means R12.6 has a new wind-turbine specific package. This enables virtual product development of wind-turbine nacelle drivetrains, gearboxes and bearings.
Mitchell said that RomaxWind can produce fast in-depth results for deflections, alignments, vibration and dynamic response of wind-turbine gearboxes. This enables complex numerical simulations to be performed early in the design cycle, so system interactions between gearbox, drivetrain and turbine can be considered in full.
The software includes an import/export function into the SimPack multibody simulation tool for six-degree of freedom dynamic transient analysis, essentially a time domain-based analysis rather than a static, individual loading condition.
“This is especially useful for wind-turbine analysis because changing wind means very dynamic loading conditions,” said Mitchell. “It is also useful for driveline analysis of automotive vehicles where there is time-varying changing load on transmission from engine crank and reaction at the wheels.”
© PE Publishing, 25 June 2008
