Application of finite element analysis for determination of load share, real contact ratio, precision of motion, and stress analysis

A loaded gear drive with point contact between tooth surfaces is considered. The principal curvatures and directions at a current point of tangency, the contact paths on tooth surfaces, and the transmission errors caused by misalignment we consider as known. In this paper the following topics are covered: (1) Determination of the contact force and its distribution over the contact ellipse; (2) Determination of the tooth deflection, the load share, and the real contact ratio; and (3) Stress analysis by application of the finite element method. The discussed approach is illustrated with a numerical example.