COMPUTERIZED ANALYSIS OF GEAR MESHING BASED ON COORDINATE MEASUREMENT DATA

A mathematical model is proposed for the reconstruction of gear tooth surface features based on the manufacturing process deviations measured with the help of a gear inspection (or coordinate measurement) machine. The model is extended to facilitate the computer simulation of meshing between the measured gear and a theoretical master gear, or between two measured gears. This would allow one to predict the transmission errors and bearing contact which are otherwise only possible to investigate using the combination of single-flank testing and a time-consuming work-in and examination procedure. The developed model is applied to the determination of tooth-to-tooth transmission errors of parallel-axis gears and can also be utilized to determine bearing contact and contact stresses and be useful in tooth surface fatigue life calculations.