The Analytical and Experimental Evaluation of Resonant Response in High-Speed, Lightweight, Highly Loaded Gearing

Abstract

The resonant response of high-speed, lightweight gearing is of serious concern to the transmission specialist. Such gearing typically has several natural frequencies within its operating range. The existence of a resonant response in a range of interest is of itself not indicative of a potential failure; however, if the vibrational energy associated with that made is sufficient to cause stresses beyond the fatigue endurance limit, the gear will fail. These failures are usually rapid and destructive. Two approaches to this problem are possible: The gear may be damped or it may be redesigned to move its natural frequencies out of the operating range. This paper describes the causes and effects of gear resonance, experimental and analytical methods for identifying resonant frequencies and mode shapes, and methods for use in the design and hardware stages to avoid the coincidence of exciting and natural frequencies.