Siddesh B. | International Journal of Mechanics and Design | Vol 11, Issue 02 | pp. 1-7 | ISSN: 2582-2896
Abstract
Abstract
Polymer gears are increasingly used in engineering applications as lighter, quieter, and corrosion-resistant alternatives to traditional metal gears. This study offers a comprehensive comparison of spur gears fabricated from Nylon 6 and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, both simulated using Autodesk Fusion 360’s finite element analysis (FEA) environment. A 24-tooth spur gear was designed and analyzed under identical static structural and steady-state thermal conditions, including a 500 N tangential load. Both materials exhibited the same maximum deformation of 0.076 mm; however, Nylon 6 showed superior mechanical resilience, with a higher safety factor (3.63 vs. 2.86). PET, in contrast, exhibited better thermal conductivity and specific heat, implying better thermal stability under continuous operation. This study supports informed decision-making in material selection for polymer gear applications based on mechanical and thermal trade-offs.
Keywords: Spur gears, Nylon 6, PET plastic, finite element analysis, Fusion 360, thermal simulation, gear design
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@article{BS2025,
author = {Siddesh B.},
title = {Mechanical and Thermal Performance Comparison of Nylon 6 and PET Spur Gears via Fusion 360 Finite Element Simulation},
journal = {International Journal of Mechanics and Design},
year = {2025},
volume = {11},
number = {02},
pages = {1--7},
issn = {2582-2896},
url = {https://journalspub.com/publication/ijmd/article=22351}
}