Reply To: Ansys transient structual open differential advice and contact problem.

[peteroznewman]

I watched this video to get the terminology of the different gears in the assembly.

I suggest you initially setup the differential gearbox as a static structural analysis.  The ends of each wheel axle are fixed. Instead of applying a rotation input to the ring gear, apply a torque. Multiply the engine torque by the gear ratio of ring gear to pinion gear (not modeled). The static solution will give the stress in the teeth as well as the arm holding the spider gear.

The benefit of a static solution is that it will be much easier to achieve convergence. Also, you should increase mesh density at the contact points of the spider gears and side gears. This will give much more accurate stress results in the teeth.