A review of tangential composite and radial composite gear inspection

Abstract This paper presents an overview of the literature on tangential composite and radial composite gear inspection. It demonstrates – by dealing with their origins and key milestones in their history and development – the important role that inspections play in terms of the functional nature of the gears concerned. This comprehensive consideration of the subject also attempts to demonstrate how the lack of clear guidelines and standards designed to unify the criteria applied to testing, the interpretation of results and calibration of equipment, along with the number of simultaneous variables involved in trials of this type, leads to doubts (including with respect to the actual standards concerned) as to whether these tests are valid, or instead accepted only has partial validations. Even so, the repeatability of the experimental data demonstrates not only their metrological potential, with respect to functionality, but also the fact that they are both effective and original