Uniform connection design of aero-engine rotor bolted structures

Uniform connection is crucial for ensuring the high performance and reliability of connected parts in aero-engines. Connection interface design presents an innovative approach for achieving uniform connection. Focusing on the widely used bolted fasteners in aero-engines, this study investigates the application of interface shape design and stiffness design to improve connection uniformity in aero-engine rotor bolted structures. The uniformity degree of contact stress distribution at the connection interface is used to characterize connection uniformity. An analysis model for the connection uniformity of an aero-engine rotor bolted structure is established. A design method for interface shape and stiffness based on stress distribution is proposed. Subsequently, bolted interface shape and stiffness designs are conducted targeting connection uniformity of the established aero-engine rotor bolted structure. The influence of bolt preload consistency on the achieved connection uniformity post-interface design is further analyzed. The results indicate that both bolted interface shape design and stiffness design can increase the effective contact area by over 100% and reduce the contact stress distribution variance by over 90%. Furthermore, these results demonstrate robust resistance to bolt preload fluctuations, maintaining significant improvement in connection uniformity for the aero-engine rotor bolted structure within a preload fluctuation range of 20%. It is hoped this research will promote connection interface design to become a mature engineering technology in the field of aero-engine design and manufacturing.