EXPERIMENTAL LOAD DETERMINATION ON GEARBOX SHAFT

Abstract The load shaft of gearbox which drives the working wheel on a rotating excavator, or the driving shaft on the working wheel is from the resistance that overcomes in the process of digging with the excavator. Forces from the resistance are transmitted through the working wheel on its drive shaft and the gearbox. Loads on this shaft are torsion moments with a certain quantity. The values of those moments are very important because they represent the input values when analyzing the safety coefficient on the shaft and optimization of the gearbox. They are also indicators for the resistance of the digging processes in a particular mine. Theoretical load determination of this shaft is a difficult procedure and doesn’t provide reliable results, because all influential factors in the work of the excavator can’t be mathematically captured. For the purpose of an accurately determination of the load on the shaft it’s necessary to conduct experimental research by measuring in real working conditions in previously established methodology. This paper presented the methodology, measurement equipment and original approach to the application of tensiometric method for measuring the load of inaccessible shaft of working wheel on a specific rotating excavator and also to present the results from the conducted measurement. Keywords: load determination, experiment, gearbox shaft