An Analysis of Polymer Gear Wear in a Spur Gear Train Made Using FDM and FFF Methods Based on Tooth Surface Topography Assessment

Jadwiga Pisula,Paweł Turek,Mariusz Cieplak,Grzegorz Budzik

doi:10.3390/polym13101649

Jadwiga Pisula, Paweł Turek + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13101649

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Journal: Polymers	Publication Date: May 19, 2021
Citations: 17	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Rzeszów University of Technology, Inter Metal (Poland)

Abstract

This article focuses on wear tests of spur gears made with the use of additive manufacturing techniques from thermoplastic materials. The following additive manufacturing techniques were employed in this study: Melted and Extruded Modelling (FDM) and Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). The study analysed gears made from ABS M-30 (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), ULTEM 9085 (PEI Polyetherimide) and PEEK (Polyetheretherketone), and the selection of these materials reflects their hierarchy in terms of economical application and strength parameters. A test rig designed by the authors was used to determine the fatigue life of polymer gears. Gear trains were tested under load in order to measure wear in polymer gears manufactured using FDM and FFF techniques. In order to understand the mechanism behind gear wear, further tests were performed on a P40 coordinate measuring machine (CMM) and a TalyScan 150 scanning instrument. The results of the gear tests made under load allow us to conclude that PEEK is resistant to wear and gear train operating temperature. Its initial topography undergoes slight changes in comparison to ABS M-30 and Ultem 9085. The biggest wear was reported for gears made from Ultem 9085. The hardness of the material decreased due to the loaded gear train’s operating temperature.

Highlights

Additive manufacturing is increasingly used in the electromechanical industry and reconstructive medicine [1]
ABS M-30 pinions have diverse topographies; on the right-hand tooth flank, the deviations were equal across the entire width of the tooth, and they decreased across its length near the tip (Figure 8e)
Tooth flank surface topography measurements enable tooth geometry assessment across the entire width of the toothed ring. This is of special importance in the evaluation of material distribution on the tooth flank in comparison to its required geometry expected at the design stage or during a key manufacturing phase

Summary

Introduction

Additive manufacturing is increasingly used in the electromechanical industry and reconstructive medicine [1]. Its popularity is a result of constantly improved additive techniques and materials as well as the possibility of manufacturing non-standard products of complex geometries, sometimes unattainable by conventional methods, but primarily thanks to lower production costs due to shorter manufacturing lead times without the need to use tools or instruments. Additive manufacturing has its drawbacks, which include mainly limitations with regard to low-volume production or small-sized parts, as well as the absence of data concerning final properties of the product (strength, thermal stability, etc.). Most recent studies focus mainly on gear trains of advanced structures and the optimisation of their designs in terms of strength by means of kinematic models [3,4,5], dynamic models [6,7,8] and diagnostics [9,10,11,12,13,14]. There are publications providing an overview of gear design tools with guidelines and practical examples of gear design [15]

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