Experiments on Root Stresses of Helical Gears With Lead Crown and Misalignments

In this study, the results of an experimental parametric study of the combined influence of shaft misalignments and gear lead modifications on the load distribution and tooth bending stresses of helical gear pairs are presented. A set of helical gear pairs having various amounts of total lead crown was operated under loaded, low-speed conditions with varying amounts of tightly controlled shaft misalignments. Gear teeth were instrumented through strips of strain gages along the face width of gears at the tooth fillet region at a roll angle that is near the start of the active profile. Variations of root strains along the face width were quantified for different levels of shaft misalignments and gear lead crown. The results presented demonstrate the direct link between the lead crown and gear misalignments as well as the effectiveness of the lead crown in preventing edge loading conditions due to misalignment. The results presented here form a database that should be available for a validation of gear contact models in terms of their ability to simulate misalignments.