A method of health monitoring on helicopter speed reducer based on FMECA

The helicopter speed reducer contains pinion gear, shaft, bearing, flange and other types of accessories. Due to the complexity of mechanical structure, the health characteristics have too much associated factors. In fact, the health monitoring on speed reducer have difficulties on its validity and practicability. Based on the analysis of existing problems of current research, this paper studies failure mode, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA) method of speed reducer, and the FMECA tables could be established. Though criticality analysis, level evaluation and detection degree analysis, the main failure modes and monitoring parameters could be determined. Furthermore, the monitoring information could be acquired and processed combined with the target of health monitoring. Therefore, the health monitoring method of helicopter speed reducer could be established, which provides a practical and effective method for evaluating the degree of health of helicopter components.