Load sharing characteristics of planetary transmissions

Abstract A nonlinear time-varying dynamic model of a planetary transmission with an arbitrary number of pinions is developed. The model includes several manufacturing errors and assembly variations, and can accommodate for any pinion spacing arrangement, tooth separations and time-varying gear mesh stiffnesses. A dynamic load sharing factor K DLS , which is defined as the ratio of the actual dynamic load at a given gear mesh to the ideal static load, is predicted using the dynamic model. Key design parameters, assembly variations and manufacturing errors are identified, and their effects on K DLS are quantified.