Design and analysis of a cotter joint using finite element analysis

Given the demands of contemporary technology, as well as the complexity and diversity of manufacturing due to the quick updates of products, the traditional design of cotter joints has become inappropriate. One useful tool in this regard is computer-aided design (CAD) of cotter joints. Initially, finite element analysis showed great promise in simulating several mechanical applications. Finite element analysis can reduce the number of physical prototypes and experiments produced while optimizing each component throughout the design process. This study aims to design and analyze a new cotter joint to prevent failure in standard cotter joints due to the concentration of stresses in them. Then, the mechanical properties of the joints are determined using the integration between SOLIDWORKS software (version 2020) and ANSYS software (version R22). The deflections, von Mises, and shear stress values in joint elements are computed via the finite element technique. Finite element analysis evaluated the proposed cotter joint and was validated through strength verification. The proposed joint exhibited improved structural reliability. The factor of safety for tensile increased from 1.18 to 1.38, the factor of safety for shear from 1.36 to 1.93, and the factor of safety for bearing from 1.50 to 1.88, respectively. In addition, the margins of safety have increased from 0.18, 0.36, and 0.50 to 0.38, 0.93, and 0.88, respectively, which shows the improvement in load-carrying capacity and decrease in the risk of failure in case of axial loading. The results show that the proposed cotter joint has better structural safety and load-carrying performance with higher factors of safety and margins of safety as compared to the conventional design, which makes it more suitable for high-load engineering applications.