EXAMINATION OF COMPOSITE DISC SPRINGS

This study aims to produce composite disc springs from carbon prepreg material, which is close to the characteristic curve of the steel disc spring or better than steel, which constitutes a group of machine elements. In this way, the design will be lightened without significantly diverging from the force/deformation ratio of the disc spring. For this, first of all, a standard steel disc spring was selected, and its characteristic curve was determined by the finite element analysis method. For the composite disc springs to be produced, the selected steel disc spring geometry was taken as reference, and different cone heights (taper angles) and different orientation angles of the carbon prepreg layers were determined as variable parameters. For all these parameters, finite element analyses were made for the carbon prepreg material in the ANSYS Workbench module, and the disc springs designed using these analyses were produced by the autoclave method in a closed mold and tested. As a result of compression tests, spring characteristics of steel and composite disc springs were obtained and compared. The results reveal that it is possible to obtain composite disc springs 70% lightweight and with characteristics close to or better than steel disc springs, regardless of the angular array orientation. On the other hand, based on the results, manufacturing carbon prepreg composite disc springs at high cone heights is not recommended.