Design and Vibrational Analysis of Propeller Shaft

Propeller shaft is a mechanical component for transmitting torque and rotation,
usually used to connect other components of a drive train that cannot be connected
directly because of distance or the need to allow for relative movement between them.
Propeller shaft is used along with a Universal coupling. Universal coupling is a joint in a
rigid rod that allows the rod to bend in any direction, and is commonly used in shafts that
transmit rotary motion. While transmitting the motion the propeller shaft is subjected to
high torsion as well as propeller rotated in high rpm will be vibrated under high
frequency. Due to the high frequency vibration, propeller shaft near the coupling joint
loses its strength so that they get dismantled or brooked frequently. The main objective of
this project is to overcome this problem by making design changes in the propeller shaft
and universal joint and analyzing the resulting design. The Propeller shaft can be
modeled using Pro-E wildfire3.0 software and then the model is imported to the analysis
software ANSYS 8.1. In this analysis software, the redesigned propeller shaft’s structural
and vibration analysis is carried out and then the result is compared with the existing
propeller shaft design.