Finite element analysis applied to the taper mechanism of excavator assembly alignment analysis and optimization

Abstract This study aimed to solve the problem of interference misalignment when assembling the attachments of an excavator. A mechanical structure for taper guiding mechanism model was designed to improve the original mechanism. Interference distance, taper angles of the guiding mechanism, taper lengths of the guiding mechanism, and impact times of knocks were selected as design parameters. The optimal configuration of singular quality characteristics such as von Mises stress, von Mises strain, load, and strain energy was discussed using the Taguchi methods and L9 orthogonal arrays. The design method for multi-objective optimization was combined with grey relational analysis and used to examine the integrated index of all design parameters. The influence levels and mathematical relations of design parameters and their interactions were analyzed with response surface methodology and variance analysis. The grey relational analysis for multi-objective optimization shows the optimal design conditions were an interference distance of 2 mm, the taper angles of the guiding mechanism being 50°, taper lengths of the guiding mechanism being 60 mm, and impact times of knocks being 0.03 s, resulting in von Mises stress of 10.32 MPa, von Mises strain of 0.05%, a load of 379.45 N, and strain energy of 0.1 mJ. Overall effectiveness increased 34.28% when the original design was changed to the optimal design. Concerning the influence of design parameters on overall effectiveness, the impact times of knocks and its quadratic interactions had the most significant contributions.