Dynamic Modeling of the Torsional Vibration of the Slewing Mechanism of a Hydraulic Excavator

A torsional vibration model of the slewing mechanism of a hydraulic excavator is developed to predict its free vibration characteristics with consideration of many fundamental factors, such as the mesh stiffness of gear pairs, the coupling relationship of a two stage planetary gear trains and the variety of moment of inertia of the input end caused by the motion of work equipment. The natural frequencies are solved using the corresponding eigenvalue problem. Taking the moment of inertia of the input end for example to illustrate the relationship between the natural frequencies of the slewing mechanism and its parameters, based on the simulation results, just the first order frequency varies significantly with the moment of inertia of the input end of the slewing mechanism.