Marco Gabiccini

Optimization of the Loaded Contact Pattern in Hypoid Gears by Automatic Topography Modification

Systematic optimization of the tooth contact pattern under load is an open problem in the design of spiral bevel and hypoid gears. In order to enhance its shape and position, gear engineers have been assisted by numerical tools based on trial-and-error approaches, and/or they have been relying on the expertise of skilled operators. The present paper proposes a fully automatic procedure to optimize the loaded tooth contact pattern, with the advantage of eventually reducing design time and cost. The main problem was split into two identification subproblems: first, to identify the ease-off topography capable of optimizing the contact pattern; second, to identify the machine-tool setting variations required to obtain such ease-off modifications. Both of them were formulated and solved as unconstrained nonlinear optimization problems. In addition, an original strategy to quickly approximate the tooth contact pattern under load was conceived. The results obtained were very satisfactory in terms of accuracy, robustness, and computational speed. They also suggest that the time required to optimize the contact pattern can be significantly reduced compared with typical time frames. A sound mathematical framework ensures results independent of the practitioner’s subjective decision-making process. By defining a proper objective function, the proposed method can also be applied to affect other contact properties, such as to improve the motion graph or to decrease the sensitivity of the transmission to assembly errors. Furthermore, it can be easily adapted to any gear drive by virtue of its systematic and versatile nature.

Nonlinear Identification of Machine Settings for Flank Form Modifications in Hypoid Gears

This paper presents a new systematic method for identifying the values of the machine-tool settings required to obtain flank form modifications in hypoid gears. The problem is given a nonlinear least-squares formulation, and it is solved by the Levenberg-Marquardt method with a trust-region strategy. To test the method, the same ease-off topography was obtained by means of very different sets of machine-tool settings, including a set of only kinematic parameters and a highly redundant set of 17 parameters. In all cases, the goal was achieved in a few iterations, with residual errors well below machining tolerances and, even more importantly, with realistic values of all parameters. Therefore, significant improvements in practical gear design can be achieved by employing the overall proposed procedure.

Comparison of Different Methods in Gear Curvature Analysis Using a New Approach

Abstract In the literature, some methods for curvature analysis of gears can be found, apparently very different from one another. This article presents a comparison of three approaches to stress their similarities or differences and field of application: the classic one by Litvin, its development by Chen and another one proposed by Wu and Luo and revisited by the present authors. All these methods are re-examined and expressed in a new form by means of a new approach to the theory of gearing that employs vectors and tensors. An extension of the relative motion is also considered, assuming translating axes of the gear pair and modified roll.

Synthesis of hypoid gear surface topography by a nonlinear least squares approach

This paper outlines a systematic methodology for finding the machine setting corrections required to obtain a predesigned ease-off surface in spiral bevel and hypoid gear teeth. The problem is given a nonlinear least squares formulation which, however, is highly prone to numerical instabilities. The Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm with a trust region strategy turned out to be quite effective and robust to obtain feasible solutions. The proposed method was tested on lengthwise crowning, profile crowning and spiral angle correction. In all cases, the goal was achieved with very high accuracy, in a few iterations and, remarkably, with different sets of machine parameters.Copyright

New Investigation on the Geometry of the Contact in Gear Generation

Based on a recently developed geometric approach to the theory of gearing that does not make use of any reference systems [1], this paper presents some useful relations between the geometric properties of the enveloping surface and those of its envelope. Treating vectors as such, that is without expressing their components in any reference systems, it is possible to obtain compact expressions for the coefficients of the first and second fundamental forms of the envelope surface. These coefficients show to be central in the determination of the contact matrix between mating surfaces. Moreover, since this approach is coordinate free, it is valid regardless of the reference frame actually employed to perform calculations and allows a, hopefully, clearer understanding of the roles played by the intrinsic geometric properties of the enveloping surface, the relative position of the gear axes and the gear ratio.Copyright