Elastic-Damping Characteristics of Polymer Elements of the Suspension System, Manufactured by Additive Technologies for Tracked Tractors

Abstract

This paper examines the influence of the internal filling structure of elastic bushings manufactured using FDM printing on their physical and mechanical properties. Using eTPU-95A thermoplastic polyurethane bushings with a 50% filling density, cyclic testing was performed on a REM-100-A-1-4 universal testing machine. Hysteresis loops were obtained for various structure types (mesh, cube, honeycomb, triangle, and gyroid), and the elastic damping characteristics were compared using averaged data from loading cycles. A comparative assessment of the stiffness and resistance of various bushing designs is provided, and promising applications in tracked undercarriage systems are assessed.