A method to determine dynamic loads on spur gear teeth and on bearings

A method is described which can be used to calculate dynamic gear tooth force and bearing forces. The model includes elastic bearings. The gear mesh stiffness and the path of contact are determined using the deformations of the gears and the bearings. This gives contact outside the plane-of-action and a time-varying working pressure angle. In a numerical example it is found that the only important vibration mode for the gear contact is the one where the gear tooth deformation is dominant. The bearing force variation, however, will be much more affected by the other vibration modes. The influence of the friction force is also studied. The friction has no dynamic influence on the gear contact force or on the bearing force in the gear mesh line-of-action direction. On the other hand, the changing of sliding directions in the pitch point is a source for critical oscillations of the bearings in the gear tooth frictional direction. These bearing force oscillations in the frictional direction appear unaffected by the dynamic response along the gear mesh line-of-action direction.     

Gear transmission dynamics: Effects of index and run out errors

This work describes a non-linear dynamic model for the study of the vibration signals generated by gear transmissions. The developed model considers both the parametric excitations due to the variable compliance of bearings and gears, can handle changes in the transmitted torque and allows the integration of the dynamic equations quickly and accurately. This model has been developed previously by the authors to assess the profile deviations on the dynamic behavior of gear transmissions and its influence on the transmitted torque. It also includes the presence of gear defects as cracks and pitting during the calculation of meshing forces. In this paper, the model has been enhanced in order to include two common defects such as index errors and run out or eccentricity errors. Index errors occur as a result of a non-uniform angular distribution of the tooth profiles along the pitch circle. Run out appears due to the displacement of the geometric center of the gear with respect to the center of rotation of the shaft on which it is mounted. Although both errors are caused by different reasons, sometimes they have been confused because of their similitudes. The procedure for including both kinds of errors in the model is described and simulations under several transmitted torques are presented. The results are assessed and compared focusing the attention on certain transmission parameters and magnitudes as transmission error, load forces in the tooth flanks and demodulation techniques on the resulting vibratory signals.     

Gear transmission dynamic: Effects of tooth profile deviations and support flexibility

In this work a non-linear dynamic model of spur gear transmissions previously developed by the authors is extended to include both desired (relief) and undesired (manufacture errors) deviations in the tooth profile. The model uses a hybrid method for the calculation of meshing forces, which combines FE analysis and analytical formulation, so that it enables a very straightforward implementation of the tooth profile deviations. The model approach handles well non-linearity due to the variable meshing stiffness and the clearances involved in gear dynamics, also including the same phenomena linked to bearings. In order to assess the ability of the model to simulate the impact of the deviations on the transmission dynamics, an example is presented including profile deviations under different values of transmitted torque. Several results of this example implementation are presented, showing the model’s effectiveness.     

Nonlinear shear wave interaction at a frictional interface: energy dissipation and generation of harmonics

Analytical and numerical modeling of the nonlinear interaction of shear wave with a frictional interface is presented. The system studied is composed of two homogeneous and isotropic elastic solids, brought into frictional contact by remote normal compression. A shear wave, either time harmonic or a narrow band pulse, is incident normal to the interface and propagates through the contact. Two friction laws are considered and the influence on interface behavior is investigated: Coulomb's law with a constant friction coefficient and a slip-weakening friction law which involves static and dynamic friction coefficients. The relationship between the nonlinear harmonics and the dissipated energy, and the dependence on the contact dynamics (friction law, sliding, and tangential stress) and on the normal contact stress are examined in detail. The analytical and numerical results indicate universal type laws for the amplitude of the higher harmonics and for the dissipated energy, properly non-dimensionalized in terms of the pre-stress, the friction coefficient and the incident amplitude. The results suggest that measurements of higher harmonics can be used to quantify friction and dissipation effects of a sliding interface.     

Dynamic characteristics of the herringbone planetary gear set during the variable speed process

In this study, a dynamic model for herringbone planetary gears is proposed which can be applied in the dynamic analysis of variable speed processes (including acceleration, deceleration, and large speed fluctuation process, etc.). The dynamic responses of the acceleration process of an example of a herringbone planetary gear set are simulated in cases where the profile error excitations are ignored and included. The phenomenon of tooth separations can be observed as the rotating speed increases in the simulation, and the effect of the profile error excitations on the phenomenon is also investigated. Furthermore, the effects of the profile error excitations on the vibrations and dynamic meshing forces are investigated before and after the appearance of tooth separations. Moreover, the dynamic characteristics of the herringbone planetary gear set are also compared with that of the spur/helical herringbone planetary gear set briefly. Finally, some advice for the design of planetary gear sets is given to avoid the phenomena of tooth separation and tooth back contacts and suppress the vibrations and dynamic meshing forces.     

Dynamic modelling of spur gear pair and application of empirical mode decomposition-based statistical analysis for early detection of localized tooth defect

Gears are one of the most common and important machine components in many advanced machines. An improved understanding of vibration signal is required for the early detection of incipient gear failure to achieve high reliability. This paper mainly consists of two parts: in the first part, a 6-degree-of-freedom gear dynamic model including localized tooth defect has been developed. The model consists of a spur gear pair, two shafts, two inertias representing load and prime mover and bearings. The model incorporates the effects of time-varying mesh stiffness and damping, backlash, excitation due to gear errors and profile modifications. The second part consists of signal processing of simulated and experimental signals. Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is a method of breaking down a signal without leaving a time domain. The process is useful for analysing non-stationary and nonlinear signals. EMD decomposes a signal into some individual, nearly monocomponent signals, named as intrinsic mode function (IMF). Crest factor and kurtosis have been calculated of these IMFs. EMD pre-processed kurtosis and crest factor give early detection of pitting as compared to raw signal.     

Determination of time-varying contact length,friction force,torque and forces at the bearings in a helical gear system

This paper deals with determining various time-varying parameters that are instrumental in introducing noise and vibration in a helical gear system. The most important parameter is the contact line variation, which subsequently induces friction force variation, frictional torque variation and variation in the forces at the bearings. The contact line variation will also give rise to gear mesh stiffness and damping variations. All these parameters are simulated for a defect-free and two defective cases of a helical gear system. The defective cases include one tooth missing and two teeth missing in the helical gear. The algorithm formulated in this paper is found to be simple and effective in determining the time-varying parameters.     

Dynamic analysis for a pair of spur gears with translational motion due to bearing deformation

In this study, the dynamic response of a pair of spur gears is analyzed when the gear set has translational motion due to bearing deformation. A new dynamic model for the gear set, considering translational motion, is proposed, in which the distance between the centers of a pinion and a gear varies with time. Therefore, the proposed model regards the pressure angle and the contact ratio as time-varying variables, while the previous model regards them as constants. After deriving nonlinear equations of motion for the gear set, the dynamic responses are computed by applying the Newmark time integration method. This paper claims that the new model produces more accurate dynamic responses in comparison to those of the previous model. Some dynamic response differences between the new and previous models are demonstrated, and the effects of damping and stiffness upon the dynamic responses are also investigated.     

Dimensional Amplitude Response Analysis of Vibrations Produced by Defects in Rolling Contact Bearings

Usage of rolling contact bearings in variety of rotor-dynamic applications has put forth a need to develop a detailed and easy to implement techniques for the assessment of damage related features in these bearings so that before mechanical failure, maintenance actions can be planned well in advance. In accordance to this, a method based on dimensional amplitude response analysis and scaling laws is presented in this paper for the diagnosis of defects in different components of rolling contact bearings in a dimensionally scaled rotor-bearing system. Rotor, bearing, operating and defect parameters involved are detailed for dimensional analysis using frequency domain vibration data. A defect parameter for modeling all the three dimensions of the defect as well as the different shapes like square, circular, rectangular is put forth which takes into account the volume as well as the surface area of the defect. Experimental data set is generated for the ‘model’ bearing (designated as SKF30205J2/Q) using Box-Behnken design of response surface methodology for solution of the theoretical model by factorial regression approach. Obtained metamodel is then used for the prediction of the objective variable, i.e., Vibration acceleration amplitude at the defect frequency component for other types of ‘test’ bearings (designated as SKF 30305C and SKF 22220 EK) using the developed scaling laws. Confirmation experiments showed that the computable relationship amongst objective variable and the dimensionless parameters can be forecast and correlated.     

A model for the characterization of friction contacts in turbine blades

Stresses produced by the forced vibrations can lead to a significant reduction of the life of turbo engine blades. To predict the vibration amplitudes of this components an accurate dynamic analysis is necessary. The forced response calculation of these dynamic systems is strongly affected by the presence of the contact interfaces (i.e., underplatform dampers, shrouds, root joints). Different contact models are available in literature. These models make use of contact parameters, contact stiffness and friction coefficient to evaluate the damping and stiffness related to the contact interfaces. In this paper a model is proposed to characterize friction contact of non-spherical contact geometries obeying the Coulomb friction law with constant friction coefficient and constant normal load. The hysteresis curves of the oscillating tangential contact forces vs. relative tangential displacements and the dissipated energy at the contact are obtained for different contact geometries. The developed model is suitable to be implemented in numerical solvers for the calculation of the forced response of turbine blades with embedded friction contacts.     

Prediction of airborne radiated noise from lightly loaded lubricated meshing gear teeth

This paper introduces a novel analytical method for determination of gear airborne noise under lightly loaded conditions, often promoting gear rattle of loose unengaged gear pairs. The system examined comprises a single gear pair, modelled through integrated contact tribology and inertial transient dynamics. Lubricant film thickness, structural vibration and airborne gear noise are predicted and correlated with experimental measurements undertaken in a semi-anechoic environment. Good agreement is noticed between the numerical predictions and the experimental measurements. The presented model is capable of estimating the airborne radiated gear noise levels and the dynamic behaviour of gear pairs under different operating conditions, with superimposed impulsive input speed harmonics.     

An investigation into the effect of tooth profile errors on gear rattle

In previous work, experimental data have demonstrated the severity of idling gear rattle depends not only on the amplitude, but also the phase of an external sinusoidal forcing. One possible explanation for this is in small tooth profile errors. In this paper, we investigate this hypothesis, by deriving an equation of motion incorporating an error function and losses at the mesh interface, values of which are obtained from experimental data. By solving the equations of motion, theoretical gear rattle trajectories are obtained. Theoretical and experimental trajectories are then compared, by way of time domain plots as well as via contour plots linking the amplitude of backlash oscillation to the amplitude and phase of input forcing. For most profile error functions, good agreement is achieved between the model and experimental data. In the case where the profile errors are dominated by misalignment between the gear and shaft centres agreement is less good and suggestions of areas of further study required for model refinement are proposed.     

Quasi-static analysis of two-dimensional rolling contact with slip-velocity dependent friction

In this paper the influence of a velocity-dependent friction law on the interactions inside the contact patch between a rolling wheel and a rail is presented, assuming that the quasi-static approach is still applicable. In the model, traction builds up until a critical configuration is reached, after which an instantaneous reset occurs. The system jumps from one state to another in a discontinuous way. This suggests that the true elastic field, including dynamical effects, is adjusted in a very short time span, which is not resolved in the quasi-static approach. Inside the contact patch much higher and swiftly changing micro-slip velocities may occur than were anticipated previously, which are not well-described by friction laws that use an instantaneous relation between sliding velocity v(t) and coefficient of friction $\mu (t)$.     

Ultrasonic excitation affects friction interactions between food materials and cutting tools

In the food industry, ultrasonic cutting is used to improve separation by a reduction of the cutting force. This reduction can be attributed to the modification of tool–workpiece interactions at the cutting edge and along the tool flanks because of the superposition of the cutting movement with ultrasonic vibration of the cutting tool. In this study, model experiments were used to analyze friction between the flanks of a cutting tool and the material to be cut. Friction force at a commercial cutting sonotrode was quantified using combined cutting–friction experiments, and sliding friction tests were carried out by adapting a standard draw-off assembly and using an ultrasonic welding sonotrode as sliding surface. The impact of material parameters, ultrasonic amplitude, and the texture of the contacting food surface on friction force was investigated. The results show that ultrasonic vibration significantly reduces the sliding friction force. While the amplitude showed no influence within the tested range, the texture of the contact surface of the food affects the intensity of ultrasonic transportation effects. These effects are a result of mechanical interactions and of changes in material properties of the contact layer, which are induced by the deformation of contact points, friction heating and absorption heating because of the dissipation of mechanical vibration energy.     

Passive reduction of gear mesh vibration using a periodic drive shaft

In this paper, a passive approach to reduce transmitted vibration generated by gear mesh contact dynamics is presented. The approach utilizes the property of periodic structural components that creates stop band and pass band regions in the frequency spectra. The stop band regions can be tailored to correspond to regions of the frequency spectra that contain harmonics and sub-harmonics of the gear mesh frequency, attenuating the response in those regions. A periodic structural component is comprised of a repeating array of cells, which are themselves an assembly of elements. The elements may have differing material properties as well as geometric variations. For the purpose of this research, only geometric variations are considered and each cell is assumed to be identical. A periodic shaft is designed and machined in order to reduce transmitted vibration of a pair of spur gears. Analytical and experimental results indicate that transmitted vibrations from gear mesh contact to the bearing supports are reduced at a variety of operational speeds under static torque preload.     

Identification and control of chaos in nonlinear gear dynamic systems using Melnikov analysis

In this paper, the Melnikov analysis is extended to develop a practical model of gear system to control and eliminate the chaotic behavior. To this end, a nonlinear dynamic model of a spur gear pair with backlash, time-varying stiffness and static transmission error is established. Based on the Melnikov analysis the global homoclinic bifurcation and transition to chaos in this model are predicted. Then non-feedback control method is used to eliminate the chaos by applying an additional control excitation. The regions of the parameter space for the control excitation are obtained analytically. The accuracy of the theoretical predictions and also the performance of the proposed control system are verified by the comparison with the numerical simulations. The simulation results show effectiveness of the proposed control system and present some useful information to analyze and control the gear dynamical systems.     

Global behavior of gear system using mixed cell mapping

In some mechanical nonlinear systems, the transient motion will be undergoing a very long process and the attractor-basin boundaries are so complicated that some difficulties occur in analyzing the system global behavior. To solve this problem a mixed cell mapping method based on the point mapping and the principle of simple cell mapping is developed. The algorithm of the mixed cell mapping is studied. A dynamic model of a gear pair is established with the backlash, damping, transmission error and the time-varying stiffness taken into consideration. The global behaviors of this system are analyzed. The coexistence of the system attractors and the respective attractor-basin of each attractor with different parameters are obtained, thus laying a theoretical basis for improvement of the dynamic behaviors of gear system.     

Dynamic analysis for a planetary gear with time-varying pressure angles and contact ratios

In this study, the dynamic responses of a planetary gear are analyzed when component gears have time-varying pressure angles and contact ratios caused by bearing deformations. For this purpose, this study proposes a new dynamic model of the planetary gear, in which the pressure angles and contact ratios change with time. The main difference from previous studies is that the present study regards the pressure angles and contact ratios as time-varying variables, while previous studies regarded them as constants. After nonlinear equations of motion for the planetary gear are derived, the dynamic responses are computed by applying the Newmark time integration method. The time responses for the present and previous studies are compared to show the effects of the time-varying pressure angles and contact ratios on the dynamic behaviors of a planetary gear. In addition, the effects of bearing stiffness on the pressure angles and contact ratios are also analyzed.     

Global behavior of gear system using mixed cell mapping

In some mechanical nonlinear systems, the transient motion will be undergoing a very long process and the attractor-basin boundaries are so complicated that some difficulties occur in analyzing the system global behavior. To solve this problem a mixed cell mapping method based on the point mapping and the principle of simple celll mapping is developed. The algorithm of the mixed cell mapping is studied. A dynamic model of a gear pair is established with the backlash, damping, transmission error and the time-varying stiffness taken into consideration. The global behaviors of this system are analyzed. The coexistence of the system attractors and the respective attractor-basin of each attractor with different parameters are obtained, thus laying a theoretical basis for improvement of the dynamic behaviors of gear system.

     

Nonlinear damping calculation in cylindrical gear dynamic modeling

The nonlinear dynamic problem posed by cylindrical gear systems has been extensively covered in the literature. Nonetheless, a significant proportion of the mechanisms involved in damping generation remains to be investigated and described. The main objective of this study is to contribute to this task. Overall, damping is assumed to consist of three sources: surrounding element contribution, hysteresis of the teeth, and oil squeeze damping. The first two contributions are considered to be commensurate with the supported load; for its part however, squeeze damping is formulated using expressions developed from the Reynolds equation. A lubricated impact analysis between the teeth is introduced in this study for the minimum film thickness calculation during contact losses. The dynamic transmission error (DTE) obtained from the final model showed close agreement with experimental measurements available in the literature. The nonlinear damping ratio calculated at different mesh frequencies and torque amplitudes presented average values between 5.3 percent and 8 percent, which is comparable to the constant 8 percent ratio used in published numerical simulations of an equivalent gear pair. A close analysis of the oil squeeze damping evidenced the inverse relationship between this damping effect and the applied load.