Optimal Machine Tool Setting for Hypoid Gears Improving Load Distribution

Abstract

A method for the determination of optimal machine tool setting for manufacturing modified (mismatched) hypoid gears based on improved load distribution and reduced transmission errors is presented. The applied load distribution calculation is based on the conditions that the total angular position errors of the gear teeth being instantaneously in contact under load must be the same, and along the contact line of every tooth pair instantaneously in contact, the composite displacements of tooth surface points—as the sums of tooth deformations, geometrical surface separations, gear body bending and torsion, deflections of the supporting shafts, misalignments, and composite tooth errors—should correspond to the angular position of the gear. The tooth deformations consists of the bending and shearing deflections of gear teeth and of the local contact deformations of the mating surfaces. The tooth deflections are calculated by the finite element method. As the equations governing the load sharing and load distribution are nonlinear, an approximate and iterative technique is used to solve this system of equations. The method is implemented by a computer program. Using the program that was developed the influence of machine tool setting parameters for pinion manufacture on maximum tooth contact pressure, load distribution factor, and transmission errors is investigated. By successively choosing the optimal value for every machine tool setting parameter, and by applying the optimal set of these parameters, the maximum tooth contact pressure is reduced by 5.8%, the load distribution factor by 5.9%, and the angular position error of the driven gear by 65.4%, in regard to the hypoid gear pair manufactured by the machine tool setting determined by the commonly used method.