Design and Optimization of a Flange Coupling using Finite Element Analysis

A coupling is a mechanical element that allows one shaft to transfer its rotational energy to another shaft located at a great distance while maintaining a constant rotational speed. Flange coupling is a method of delivering power between two shafts by connecting their ends with flanges. The rigid flange coupling was created for use with gear units positioned on a horizontal shaft. The difficulty of improving the strength-to-weight ratio of a component is shared by all modern manufacturing sectors. This paper entails the reduction of flange coupling weight. The flange is made out of composite steel, which is both lightweight and has excellent thermal and mechanical qualities. The flange coupling design in this paper was optimized using Finite Element Analysis. Autodesk Fusion 360 and AutoCAD were used to create the flange coupling’s design, as well as the static structural analysis and the subsequent stress and deformation calculations. Significant progress can be made in the early stages of development thanks to the findings of the Finite Element Analysis. The primary goal of this effort is to minimize the material cost by decreasing the weight of the flange coupling without compromising its performance.