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Auto-balancing or active control balancing can be efficient solutions for high speed rotors with changing out-of-balance loads like washing machines in spin-drying mode. In the LoWash EU project, Vibratec is in charge to design, to build and to validate a balancing system for reducing the vibrations at high spin-drying speeds. The system is based on two trolleys rolling in a ring linked to the drum. The trolley shape allows a ring cross section optimization and they are equipped with a mechanism for escaping the disadvantage encountered at low speeds by similar devices. Analytical and multi-body models are first made for understanding the mechanisms, highlighting the driving parameters and drawing the final design of a first prototype which is inserted in a washing machine drum. Different tests are carried out for different initial unbalances and different rotation speeds: the residual unbalance is measured by means of a set of accelerometers mounted on the tub, while the mobile masses behaviour is observed by means of a large aperture swift camera. The test results highlight the auto-balancer high efficiency but also the sensitivity to geometrical defects which should be corrected in the next systems. According the theory, the balancing is efficient when the rotation frequency is significantly greater than the hanging frequencies. The multi-body model relevance is also demonstrated. A washer-dryer prototype including an auto-balancer second prototype and two other innovations, regarding thermal exchange efficiency and drum insulation, will be tested in operating conditions.

The aim of this work is to present the great performance of the numerical algorithm of Particle Swarm Optimization applied to find the best teeth modifications for multimesh helical gears, which are crucial for the static transmission error (STE). Indeed, STE fluctuation is the main source of vibrations and noise radiated by the geared transmission system. The microgeometrical parameters studied for each toothed wheel are the crowning, tip reliefs and start diameters for these reliefs.Minimization of added up STE amplitudes on the idler gear of a three-gear cascade is then performed using the Particle Swarm Optimization. Finally, robustness of the solutions towards manufacturing errors and applied torque is analyzed by the Particle Swarmalgorithm to access to the deterioration capacity of the tested solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]