Alternatively, an equivalent stress can be calculated from multiaxial stresses. The selleck chemicals llc von Mises stress is a widely known equivalent stress, which is implemented for stress analysis of the leaf spring in this study. The stress levels of machine components are often monitored and controlled within the limit of the material that can sustain stress to prevent component failure. The von Mises stress contours of the Baseline, Iteration 1, and Iteration 2 of parabolic leaf springs under vertical and wind-up load cases are illustrated in Figure 10. To improve the visualization of stress analysis, a comparison of von Mises stress across the length of the leaf spring for vertical push is plotted and shown in Figure 11. The von Mises stress of parabolic leaf springs under wind-up loading is plotted in Figure 12.

The stress level of each leaf in the Baseline, Iteration 1, and Iteration 2 can be clearly visualized and compared. As shown in Figures Figures1010 and and11,11, the overall von Mises stress level of the parabolic leaf springs ranges from 500MPa to 800MPa at the region 200mm to 400mm away from the center of the spring. The highest von Mises stress level of the first leaf until the fourth leaf of the parabolic leaf spring in Iteration 1 ranges from 700MPa to 800MPa. The stress level of the Baseline ranged from 650MPa to 750MPa in the high-stress region. Iteration 2 exhibits the lowest von Mises stress from about 600MPa to 700MPa, under the same load, followed by the Baseline; however, the highest stress is shown by Iteration 1.

For wind-up analysis, the von Mises stress for the Baseline ranged from 1000MPa to 1200MPa for all leaves of the parabolic leaf spring. The stress is evenly distributed during the wind-up load case for Baseline. Under the same load, the von Mises stress for Iteration 2 is also distributed from 1000MPa to 1200MPa. The stress level for Iteration 1 ranged from 1040MPa to 1080MPa. The variation in stress level is typically small when the Baseline is compared with Iteration 1. In the wind-up cases, the parabolic leaf spring of Iteration 1 has a narrower stress range and amplitude compared with those of the Baseline and Iteration 2. The entire stress distribution can be affected by the design taper profile of the cantilever of the parabolic spring itself. However, the entire simulation model for Baseline, Iteration 1, and Iteration 2 remains within acceptable limits with an even stress distribution.

Iteration 2 contributes the highest value of wind-up stiffness.Figure 10von Mises stress contour of parabolic leaf springs: (a) Baseline model vertical push, (b) Iteration 1 vertical push, (c) Iteration 2 vertical push, (d) Baseline model wind-up, (e) Iteration 1 wind-up, and (f) Iteration 2 wind-up.Figure 11von Mises stress across length AV-951 plot of vertical push.Figure 12von Mises stress across length of wind-up loading.