Optimal synthesis of the continuously variable transmission input mechanism using an evolutionary approach

This work aims at the optimal synthesis of an input mechanism of a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) system in order to fulfill the motion generation case. The synthesis is carried out using an evolutionary-based approach. That is, an optimization problem to obtain the parameters of such mechanism and the use of an evolutionary-based approach to solve the optimization problem are proposed. The evolutionary algorithm DE which has been successfully applied to mechanical design optimization task is used. Two input mechanisms are considered in order to drive the angular motion of the input motor into the CVT system. In order to evaluate such mechanisms, the kinematic analysis of each one of them was carried out and an objective function also mechanical constraints were proposed. A comparison and evaluation for the two mechanisms is carried out in order to select one of them to produce an optimal performance of the whole mechanical system.