Linking the modulation of gear mesh vibration in planetary gearboxes to manufacturing deviations

The gear mesh vibration caused by planetary geartrains is modulated. Small planetary gearboxes, commonly used in servo drives, are examined experimentally and numerically. The goal is to link the modulation of the gearbox vibration to the deviations from the ideal geometry caused by manufacturing and assembly. Operational modal analysis shows that, while the dynamical behavior of nominally identical gearboxes is very similar, their modulation is not. The modulation also strongly depends on the operating conditions, such as speed and torque. Therefore, the modulation is aggregated to a vibration signature. In the vibration signature, distinct features are present. These can be linked to the eccentricity of the gears using numerical multi-body simulation and correlation analysis. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.