# Analysis of the Causes of Damage to the Steel Drive Shaft Used in a Paint Mixer

## TL;DR

This paper investigates why a steel drive shaft in a paint mixer broke down and suggests design and material changes to prevent future damage.

## Contribution

The study proposes geometry and material modifications to enhance the durability of steel drive shafts based on FEA results.

## Key findings

- Damage occurred in both original and regenerated parts of the steel drive shaft.
- FEA identified high-stress areas and suggested design and material changes to improve durability.

## Abstract

This article presents an analysis of the causes of damage to the shaft used in a paint mixer (made of 1.0501 steel, with diameter ø = 90 mm and length l = 3451 mm). The observed damage occurred in both the shaft before regeneration and the part regenerated by surfacing. The initial analysis consisted of both macroscopic and microscopic observations of the shaft cross sections. Additionally, hardness measurements were made using the Vickers method (HV0.1). The results of microstructure observations were used as the basis for further finite element analysis (FEA). The FEA simulations made it possible to identify the places most susceptible to damage and assess the stress distribution during the shaft’s application. Based the FEA results, in order to improve the durability of the analyzed structural element, changes in the shaft geometry and the use of different chemical steel compositions are proposed.