Evaluation of Loosening Resistance Performance of Conical Spring Washer by Three-dimensional Finite Element Analysis

Abstract

The conical spring washer (CSW) has been considered to prevent the loosening of a bolted joint and has thus been widely employed. However, experimental results obtained in studies focusing on loosening due to transverse loading conducted by Yamamoto et al. and Sakai have shown that a CSW did not prevent loosening in any context. In the present paper, we performed three-dimensional finite element analyses of an M10 bolted joint using a CSW subjected to transverse loading and investigated its loosening resistance performance. Two kinds of axial force were applied: one was low axial force (10kN) under which a CSW is not fully compressed, and the other was high axial force (20kN) under which a CSW is fully compressed. In the case of high axial force, the CSW showed no vivid effect on preventing loosening. On the other hand, in the case of low axial force, the CSW showed two opposite effects. The negative effect was an increase in the loosening rotation angle, while the positive one was the prevention of a decrease in axial force. When complete bearing-surface slip occurs, a CSW can prevent loosening because the positive effect is larger than the negative. However, when small bearing-surface slip occurs, a CSW cannot prevent loosening because the negative effect cancels the positive one. It is supposed that the small stuck region as well as the small equivalent diameter of friction torque leads to large loosening rotation.

Design and development of a test rig to investigate the load-deflection characteristics of helical spring lock washers

“…(2005) have used FEA method to study the loosening resistance performance of HSLW and double nut tightening method subjected to transverse load. Similarly, Yokoyama et al . (2008) have used three-dimensional FEA to study the loosening performance of conical spring and HSL washers with double nut tightening method.…”

“…The effect of ambient temperature on performance of Belleville washer was investigated using both experimental and numerical methods and observed that the results are in good agreement. Many investigators (Izumi et al ., 2005; Izumi et al ., 2006; Yokoyama et al ., 2008; Pai and Hess, 2002) have used three-dimensional finite element method for performance analysis of different types of washers and threaded fasteners. Izumi et al .…”

Role of helical spring locked washer in bolted joint analysis: a review

“…The evaluation of loosening performance of various nut-bolt and washers assemblies involves the various tightening methods of different assembly components are discussed in related literatures which measures of performance characteristics or behavior of these components under applied load. Yokoyama et al (2008b) worked on three-dimensional finite element analysis of an M10 bolted joint using a conical spring washer (CSW) subjected to transverse loading and investigating its loosening resistance performance. He concluded that two kinds of axial forces are applied: one is low axial force, where CSW is not fully compressed, it shows two conflicting effect of loosening.…”

Assessment of Different Metal Screw Joint Parameters by Using Multiple Criteria Analysis Methods

“…Laser technologies were used in [18][19][20]. Izumi and Yokoyama et al [21,22] analyzed relaxation of screw joints with spring washers using the finite element method. In [23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32], loosening of screws of different types, geometry, and materials, was investigated by considering various clamping forces and temperatures: relaxation rate was related to clamping force.…”