# Parametric Optimization of a New Gear Pump Casing Based on Weight Using a Finite Element Method
## 5 Conclusions  
The strength analysis of a gear pump casing design can indicate the areas where material reduction work can be performed. The study presents areas of the gear pump casing (mainly in 3D model graphics) that may be subject to weight reduction procedures according to the process and the operational processes. In the case of a newly developed gear pump, the areas most susceptible to stress concentration are the grooves in the lower part of the pump casing. For the rear cover, the stress concentrator is its central part and is described by the contour on which the flange is located. For the front cover, the most stressed area is the beginning of the outlet through which the pumped liquid exits. With the same geometry, the stress in a cast iron body relative to an aluminum casing is 11% lower. The stress in a cast iron body is 34% lower compared to a carbonate casing. When assessing the strength of the gear pump casing, it was found that there are zones (the outer wall of the second stage of the pump casing, the central part of the cover under the drive shaft) with a maximum safety factor. Reinforcement of the hull structure is not required in these areas. There are also unloaded zones in the casing and back cover (case areas around the bearing slots, extreme zones in the back cover for bolts), where the safety factor values tend to infinity. Reducing the metal in these areas increases stress in the structure but does not affect the overall strength of the pump casing structure during operation. Parametric optimization of the gear pump casing made it possible to reduce the weight of the aluminum structure by 14%, the weight of the cast iron structure by 12%, and the weight of the polycarbonate structure by 16% compared to the weight of the original design. Focusing on the optimality criterion and the safety factor, it is necessary to choose aluminum for the manufacture of gear pump parts. From a technological point of view, this is also advisable. Overall, this paper makes a valuable contribution to the field of gear pump design and optimization. The results presented in the article can be used to develop lighter and more efficient gear pumps. The above-mentioned strength analysis with the criterion of weight minimization and material selection is applicable when designing new parts, structures, and equipment for the purpose of resource conservation. This method can be used to generate new ideas for future advances in structure design and optimization while reducing material costs and time. In the future, research will be carried out to find a comprehensive solution for the parametric and topological optimization of the aluminum gear pump casing to reduce weight and to reduce the overall cost of the gear pump. Further work is also needed to expand the validity of the proposed optimization procedure, including supplementing it with tools aimed at solving the problem of parts manufacturability. This study has certain limitations related to the sensitivity to the initial guesswork, and there was no grid variation during the modeling. In future studies, we intend to address these shortcomings by improving the modeling algorithm. **Author Contributions:** Conceptualization, L.G. and O.Z. ; methodology, O.Z., L.G. and T.N. ; software, A.B. ([PERSON]); validation, L.G., O.Z. and D.Z. ; formal analysis, O.Z. and T.N. ; investigation, D.Z., A.B. ([PERSON]) and A.B. ([PERSON]); resources, O.Z. and A.B. ([PERSON]); data curation, L.G. and L.W. ; writing--original draft preparation, O.Z., L.G. and T.N. ; writing--review and editing, O.Z., L.G., L.W., W.L. and K.F. ; visualization, A.B. ([PERSON]) and A.B. ([PERSON]); supervision, O.Z. and L.G. ; project administration, T.N. and L.G. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. **Funding:** This research is funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Grant of Young Scientists IRN No.