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Investigations on Thermal, Wear Behavior and Condition Monitoring of Polylactic Acid (PLA)/Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) Composite Gears Enhanced with Silica-Coated TiO2 (S-TiO2) Nanoparticles

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Abstract

This study investigates the wear and temperature performance of injection-molded polymer gears composed of Polylactic acid (PLA) and Thermoplastic polyurethane, enhanced with 2% silica-coated TiO2 nanoparticles (PLA/TPU/2%S-TiO2) gears, they surpass Nylon 66's torque resistance by 23.07%, enduring 13 Nm torque in step loading conditions. Enhanced hardness and glass transition temperature, attributed to TPU and S-TiO2 reinforcement, result in reduced wear at pitch and flank areas compared to Nylon 66 under various torques. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis reveals a transition from adhesive interactions to abrasion mechanisms, intricately linked to applied torque fluctuations. The study employs an integrated approach, combining experimental monitoring, Short-Time Fourier Transform, and Convolutional Neural Network, achieving a noteworthy 92.5% accuracy in detecting gearbox faults. These findings hold promise for enhancing machinery reliability and maintenance efficiency in industrial applications.

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  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, 530005, India

    Arun Nethula, Naga Sai Suman Koka, Ratnam Chanamala & Rohinikumar Chebolu

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  1. Arun Nethula
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Nethula, A., Koka, N.S.S., Chanamala, R. et al. Investigations on Thermal, Wear Behavior and Condition Monitoring of Polylactic Acid (PLA)/Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) Composite Gears Enhanced with Silica-Coated TiO2 (S-TiO2) Nanoparticles. J. Inst. Eng. India Ser. D (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40033-024-00712-w

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