Torsional Stiffness Adjustable Coupling for an Azimuth Thruster Testbench

This study explored the design, manufacturing and testing of a torsional stiffness adjustable coupling designed for a small-scale maritime azimuth thruster testbench. This research aimed to present an efficient method of changing the torsional stiffness of a system. The designed coupling was subjected to comprehensive testing, including static torsional testing to ascertain its torsional stiffness range and dynamic testing to observe its impact on resonance frequencies within the system. The dynamic testing was performed on a 9:1 scale azimuth thruster testbench. The experimental results from the static testing are compared with analytical calculations and FEM simulations. The measurements show that the stiffness of the coupling can be increased by 122%, indicating the coupling's effectiveness and validating the design.