Computerized Design, Generation, Simulation of Meshing and Contact, and Stress Analysis of Formate Cut Spiral Bevel Gear Drives

Abstract : A new approach for design, generation, computerized simulation of meshing and contact, and stress analysis of formate cut spiral bevel gear drives is reported. The approach proposed is based on application of four procedures that permit in sequence to provide a longitudinally directed bearing contact, a predesigned parabolic function of transmission errors, a limit to the shift of bearing contact caused by errors of alignment, and to automatically generate the finite element models for application of a general purpose finite element analysis computer program. A new computer program has been developed that provides optimized machine-tool settings for finishing of spiral bevel gears utilizing the "Formate" grinding process with minimized transmission errors. The new computer program is based on the four procedures mentioned above. The developed theory is illustrated with several examples of design and computations.