Gear Reducer Research Articles

Design, Simulation, and Implementation of MRAC Controller with PMAC Target Hardware for Controlling 7.5 m Antenna

The article presents the design of an adaptive controller, simulation, code generation, and porting of the algorithm into target hardware, movement of the 7.5 m antenna, testing, verification, and validation of theoretical and experimental results of the antenna system. The conventional servo control methods based on PID controllers are being used for tracking X-band missions. As the need for higher data rates is increasing, missions are switching to the Ka band, as a result the satellite ground stations will have to track the satellite in the Ka band where the antenna band beam width is narrowed by a factor of 3 when compared to the X-band antenna beamwidth. These challenges had driven the designer to design and implement a Model Reference Adaptive Controller over PID to improve and achieve the tracking accuracy of less than 25m° from the present 30 m°. Thus, consistent and constant performance is achieved throughout the trajectory tracking of the mission using PID + MRAC (Model Reference Adaptive Control). MRAC uses a reference model that specifies the desired response of the antenna system and adjusts the controller parameters such that the plant follows the reference to achieve the desired performance. The entire drive chain modules and their parameters are considered in the design of the plant, namely MRAC controller, PID controller, Power Drive electronic (Rectifier and Inverter), Servo Motor, mechanical torque coupling, Gear reducer, Slew Ring Bearing (SRB), and absolute encoder modules of each axis for position feedback from the antenna. Model Order Reduction of higher-order actual Plant model to the standard second-order system is optimized. The modelled and analysed outcomes of the MRAC scheme using the Modified MIT are demonstrated. The developed model is tested against step, ramp, parabolic, satellite trajectory, velocity and acceleration inputs in MATLAB/Simulink and validated with practical/ experimental test results with antenna load at the satellite ground Station. The achieved results indicate that the PID + MRAC controller has significant and consistent performance improvements when compared to the PID controller alone.

Optimization for fuel consumption and TCO of a heavy-duty truck with electricity-propelled trailer

As renewable energy grows in the heavy-duty truck sector, exploration of diverse solutions with varied energy types and powertrain configurations becomes a necessity. While most studies focus on powertrain configurations in tractors, this study takes a different approach: propose and evaluate new plug-in hybrid configurations with multiple power sources for heavy-duty trucks. The tractor retains its engine powertrain, while the trailer is equipped with electric axle(s), forming a fuel-electricity hybrid propulsion system. The specifications of the electric propulsion system are optimized, using a multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm and dynamic programming control algorithm to evaluate the energy consumption and total cost of ownership (TCO). The results highlight the potential of the configuration with three electric axles and single reduction gear in regard to vehicle energy consumption. Conversely, the configuration with one electric axle and a two-speed transmission exhibits the lowest TCO. Under the China World Transient Vehicle Cycle, the fuel consumption of the diesel truck is reduced by up to 44.59 % with the use of the optimized hybrid configuration. The truck's TCO can be then reduced by up to 832 thousand CNY in one-million-kilometer operation. For an actual road operation, these figures change to 34.79 % and 284 thousand CNY, respectively.

Optimization of reduction gear in anchor winch based on modal analysis

In order to achieve more scientific design of the reduction gear and reduce material waste, pre-stressed modal analysis method was combined with multi-objective optimization algorithm to optimize the structure of the reduction gear basic body. The model was simplified and parameterized and the maximum stress and equivalent stiffness under different parameter size combinations were obtained through finite element analysis. Separately, genetic clustering method, neural network method, and Kriging method were used to construct the response surface function. Through error verification and comparison, it was found that the Kriging method was more suitable for the gear model. In the design of variable extremum search, multi-objective genetic algorithm and sequential quadratic programming were compared and analyzed. The results show that the mass of the gear can be reduced by 39.9 %, while the maximum stress remains unchanged, the equivalent stiffness is not reduced, and a good optimization design effect is achieved.

Analysis of Power Losses and Experimental Method for Determining Resistance in Electric Elevators

To be able to carry out a high-quality analysis of the operation and design of elevator systems with a driving pulley, it is necessary to determine the size of the losses that occur in the drive mechanism and elevator guide rails. The paper defines an experimental procedure for determining the losses and the efficiency coefficient of elevator facilities depending on the relative load of the cabin in operational conditions. The experiment was carried out on a passenger elevator with a rated load of 320 kg and a lifting height of 28 m. An analysis of the resistance, i.e., the source of power losses in vertical lifting devices, was performed, the most significant of which occur and are especially pronounced in worm gear reducers and on the guiding system of the cabin and counterweight, where the type of guiding elements also has an influence. A particular problem is expressed due to the changing state of the contact surfaces (between the guide rails and the guide shoes) during exploitation and the eccentric loading of the cabin. Also, the paper analysed the obtained measurement results to determine the dependence of the efficiency coefficient of the facility concerning the relative load of the cabin.

Influence of meshing stiffness variation on the vibration characteristics of main reduction gears

Abstract The meshing stiffness of the main and passive gears of the main reducer of the rear axle of a commercial vehicle is taken as the object of this study, aiming to optimize the influence of the meshing stiffness of the main and passive gears on the vibration and noise, enhance the meshing performance of the gear teeth, reduce the vibration and noise of the main reducer, and improve the vibration performance of the main reducer. Through UG 3D modeling software and ADAMS dynamics simulation, the dynamics characteristics of hypoid gears under different gear tooth meshing stiffness coefficients are analyzed and simulated. It is concluded that under the meshing stiffness coefficients of 0.8 to 0.9 times, the translational vibration acceleration and angular acceleration of the passive gears are smaller, the translational vibration and torsional vibration are smoother, and it can improve the performance of the meshing vibration of the gear system of the main gear reducer.

Structural design and dynamic analysis of a metal rubber composite gear pair

This paper introduces a metal rubber composite gear for gear vibration reduction. A comprehensive structural design calculation program is developed for the metal rubber composite gear pair. The design incorporates a gap between the tooth ring and the hub to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction, ensuring smooth transmission without jamming or seizing. The design process takes into consideration the compression and damping properties of the metal rubber material. A significant variable in the design process is the relative density of the metal rubber material. It is utilized to calculate the torsional stiffness, starting friction torque, and dynamic performance of the composite gear pair. To guide and optimize the design process, a nine-degree-of-freedom dynamic model is employed for dynamic analysis. The vibration reduction effect of the metal rubber composite gear is validated through numerical simulations and experimental testing. The results confirm the efficacy of the gear in reducing vibrations. This paper provides valuable insights and guidance for future designs focused on gear vibration reduction, paving the way for further advancements in this field.

A Novel Multi-Objective Dynamic Reliability Optimization Approach for a Planetary Gear Transmission Mechanism

Planetary gear transmission mechanisms (PGTMs) are widely used in mechanical transmission systems due to their compact structure and high transmission efficiency. To implement the reliability design and optimization of a PGTM, a novel multi-objective dynamic reliability optimization approach is proposed. First, a multi-objective reliability optimization model is established. Furthermore, considering the strength degradation of gears during service, a dynamic reliability analysis is conducted based on the theory of nonlinear fatigue damage accumulation. In addition, to improve computing efficiency, a random forest surrogate model based on the particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed. Finally, an adaptive multi-objective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition (AMOEA/D) is designed to optimize the mechanism, along with an adaptive neighborhood updating strategy and a hybrid crossover operator. The feasibility and superiority of the proposed approach are verified through an NGW planetary gear reducer. The results show that the proposed surrogate model can reduce the calculation cost and has high accuracy. The AMOEA/D algorithm can improve transmission efficiency, reduce gear volume and ensure reliability at the same time. It can provide guidance for actual gear production.

Application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to analyze the environmental loads of heavy machinery components

The heavy machinery used in mining and mineral processing generates significant environmental burdens that cause global warming and also negatively affect human health. This is caused by the use of large amounts of energy by these machines, including the amount of process heat, which generates negative environmental changes. As part of sustainable development, it is necessary to look for more friendly solutions, e.g., life cycle assessment (LCA). Therefore, the objective was to analyse the main environmental loads that arise during the extraction and processing of the component materials used in mining machines. In this case, the subject of the research was a reduction gear with a high utilisation rate in excavators and forklifts used in mining. The environmental impact criteria taken into account in the analysis were ozone depletion, human toxicity, and eutrophication. The analysis was carried out using the OpenLCA programme with the ecoinvent database. The results of the analysis showed that in the extraction and processing phase of the reduction gear materials, the main environmental loads arise for selected criteria arise, among others: during coke production, oil and gas extraction, natural gas transport, and hard coal exploitation. The results of the analysis may contribute to the sustainable development of machines in the mining industry and may be useful in the production of new mining machines in order to eliminate their negative impact throughout their life cycle.

Effect of tooth surface wear on dynamic characteristics of spur gear transmission system

The meshing stiffness and system dynamic characteristics caused by gear wear fault are studied. Firstly, potential energy method was used to model and solve the meshing stiffness of gears and the effect of wear on the meshing stiffness and static transfer error was analyzed. A 6-dof spur gear dynamics model was established considering various nonlinear factors, and the dynamic responses of the spur gear system under various wear degrees were analyzed by using time domain, spectrum, phase plane, and Poincare mapping. Finally, the visual test platform of the gear box is built, and the wear condition and dynamic response of the gear box under different wear cycles are analyzed. Results show that the meshing stiffness of gear decreases due to wear, and the meshing stiffness of double tooth decreases more than that of single tooth. In addition, the static transmission errors caused by wear changes periodically with meshing frequency. Wear causes the vibration response of gear system to become complex gradually, and the nonlinear of the system is enhanced, which changes from single period motion to quasi period motion. Results can provide theoretical support for gear wear reduction, life extension, vibration reduction, and noise reduction and lubrication improvement.

Flexspline Pitch Deviation Rapid Measurement Method Using Offset Point Laser Sensors

Flexsplines in harmonic gear reducers are usually characterized by a large number of teeth, small modulus, and poor stiffness, which makes them difficult to measure using conventional gear measuring centers. In order to efficiently evaluate the quality of flexsplines in harmonic gear reducers, a rapid measurement method for flexspline pitch using offset point laser sensors (PLS) is proposed. This paper investigates the principle of measuring the tooth flank of the flexspline under the offset of the PLS, establishes a model for collecting and analyzing gear surface data, builds an experimental system, calibrates the six pose parameters of the sensor using the geometric features of the flexspline’s outer circular surface, and completes the reconstruction of the left and right gear surfaces of the flexspline based on the measured data. In the experiment, the gear surface obtained by the proposed method is largely consistent with that measured by the video imaging method, and the repeatability of both single pitch deviation and cumulative pitch deviation is within ±3 µm.

Evaluation of gear reduction ratio for a 1.6 kW multi-purpose agricultural electric vehicle platform based on the workload data

Evaluation of gear reduction ratio for a 1.6 kW multi-purpose agricultural electric vehicle platform based on the workload data

A Study on Fishing Vessel Energy System Optimization Using Bond Graphs

Recently, environmental regulations have been strengthened due to climate change. This change comes in a way that limits emissions from ships in the shipbuilding industry. According to these changes, the trend of ship construction is changing installing pollutant emission reduction facilities such as scrubbers or applying alternative fuels such as low sulfur oil and LNG to satisfy rule requirements. However, these changes are focused on large ships. Small ships are limited in size. So, it is hard to install large facilities such as scrubbers and LNG propulsion systems, such as fishing boats that require operating space. In addition, in order to apply the pure electric propulsion method, there is a risk of marine distress during battery discharge. Therefore, the application of the electric–diesel hybrid propulsion method for small ships is being studied as a compromised solution. Since hybrid propulsion uses various energy sources, a method that can estimate effective efficiency is required for efficient operation. Therefore, in this study, a Bond graph is used to model the various energy sources of hybrid propulsion ships in an integrated manner. Furthermore, based on energy system modeling using the Bond graph, the study aims to propose a method for finding the optimal operational scenarios and reduction ratios for the entire voyage, considering the navigation feature of each different maritime region. In particular, the reduction gear is an important component at the junction of the power transmission of the hybrid propulsion ship. It is expected to be useful in the initial design stage as it can change the efficient operation performance with minimum design change.

Study on the contact performance of the variable hyperbolic circular arc tooth trace cylindrical gear with installation errors

Abstract. Installation errors are important factor for the contact performance of the variable hyperbolic circular arc tooth trace (VH-CATT) cylindrical gear; the study of the relationship between installation errors and contact performances is beneficial for gear vibration and noise reduction. Firstly, based on the meshing theory, the tooth surface equation and contact ellipse of the VH-CATT cylindrical gear were deduced, and the tooth surface imprinting experiment was realized. Next, the tooth contact analysis model of the VH-CATT cylindrical gear was developed to investigate the influence of the installation errors on the elliptical contact area. Then, the calculation formulas of the tooth surface gap and contact point flexibility matrix were carried out to develop the load tooth contact analysis model of the VH-CATT cylindrical gear. Finally, the influence of the installation errors on the load distribution was investigated. Research shows that the elliptical contact area of the VH-CATT cylindrical gear is a line contact within a certain range and is located in the middle section of the tooth width. The elliptical contact area of the VH-CATT cylindrical gear increases or decreases rapidly when meshing in and out, and all the installation errors have a certain influence on the elliptical contact area, except for the center distance error. The single-tooth meshing area with the installation errors is greater than that of the ideal gear pair. The load distribution area with the installation errors deviates from the middle section, except for the center distance error. The installation rotation errors around the x and y axis have a certain influence on the maximum load of the single-tooth meshing area. The research results provide a basis for improving the bearing capacity of the VH-CATT cylindrical gear and optimizing the design.

Simulation-driven fault detection for the gear transmission system in major equipment

Scholars and engineers attach great importance to fault detection in mechanical systems due to the unpredictable faults that arise from long-term operations under complex and extreme conditions. The fact that each type of fault embodies unique characteristics makes it challenging to obtain sufficient fault samples, and conventional machine learning methods fail to provide satisfactory fault diagnosis results. To address this issue, a simulation-driven fault detection method has been proposed in this paper. Firstly, the DT model of the gear transmission system was established. An improved multi-objective sparrow search algorithm (MOSSA) was employed to update the model and obtain an adequate number of simulation fault samples as well. Secondly, a two-stage adversarial domain adaptation model with full-scale feature fusion (ADAM-FF) was utilized to align and integrate the features of simulated and generated fault samples. This enables model training and classification of combined samples, facilitating the detection of unknown faults in actual measurements. Lastly, a simulation-driven equipment health index assessment model which accurately and non-destructively evaluates the degradation status of the equipment was introduced. This model effectively quantifies the extent of equipment degradation, thereby facilitating the transfer from the simulation realm to practical engineering applications. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed fault detection method, an experimental study was conducted on the extruder gear reducer of a petrochemical enterprise. The proposed fault detection method has the potential for widespread application across a range of large-scale mechanical equipment. As such, the utilization of this method will enable proactive maintenance planning, ensure safe and stable equipment operations, and minimize energy loss.

Structural design and dynamic characteristics analysis of braided composite two-stage gear transmission system

In order to realize the lightweight design of the transmission system, the braided composite material is applied to the two-stage gear transmission system. According to the structural characteristics of the two-stage gear reducer box, the whole box is designed to be assembled with the braided base and the box wall. Woven composite materials are applied to the web parts of mixed metal composite gears to realize the design goal of lightweight gears. Then, under the assumption of ignoring the influence of friction, bearings and other factors on the system, the dynamic model of the two-stage gear transmission system considering the box is established. By normalizing and dimensionless processing of the equations, the dimensionless differential equations of motion are obtained. The fourth-order Runge–Kutta method is used to analyze the relationship between the connection parameters and the dynamic characteristics of the system under the two working conditions of rigid and flexible connection between the composite base and the box wall.Through the analytical analysis of vibration displacement of two-stage gear reducer and box, the theoretical basis is found for the numerical analysis results. Finally, the dynamic characteristics of the transmission system are studied by vibration resonance analysis through high and low frequency interference. It is found that in a certain frequency range, with the decrease of the mass and moment of inertia of the transmission parts corresponding to the mixed metal composite gear, the amplitude-frequency characteristic Q of the lightweight gear and gearbox transmission system is slightly lower than that of the common gear and gearbox system, and the stability of the system is increased, and the dynamic characteristics of the system are improved.

Effective, versatile and inexpensive extruder system for direct ink writing of high-viscosity pastes

We offer the possibility of implementing a lab-made extruder for direct ink writing (DIW) into a conventional fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D printer. The ink extruder was designed to comply with various requirements including the possibility of using multiple syringe volumes, ease of assembly, compatibility with numerous commercial FDM printers, ink retraction and ink flow control and the ability to extrude inks with a wide range of viscosities (ink yield stresses from 135 to 1100 Pa). The load in the extruder was attained by combining a stepper motor and a gear reduction system. The reduction system was connected to a trapezoidal threaded spindle through a rigid coupler. The movement of the spindle was transmitted to the plunger of a syringe that contained the ink (with volumes ranging from 3 to 30 mL), by means of a linear guide system. Most of the extruder parts were printed with the same FDM printer to which the DIW extruder ended attached to. The DIW extruder wiring connections were simply made by using the E-axis connectors available in the FDM printer. Modifications of the FDM printer software required for the correct control of the DIW extruder were also relatively simple, avoiding firmware modification. This simplicity made the two DIW and FDM heads easily interchangeable, thus amplifying the functionality of a conventional FDM printer. The cost of this new DIW extruder is approx. 100€.

Manufacturing and contact characteristics analysis of a novel 2K-H internal meshing planetary reducer with involute-cycloid combined tooth profiles

Rotate Vector (RV) reducer involves multiple crankshafts to drive the cycloidal-pin transmission in parallel, leading to an over-positioning structure and high manufacturing and assembly requirements for the reducer, restricting the development of industrial robots. In view of the above problems, a novel configuration of Abnormal Cycloidal Gear (ACG) reducer with a 2K-H internal meshing planetary transmission is proposed. The design innovatively replaces the multiple crankshafts with a pin mechanism, thereby addressing the over-positioning and simplifying the manufacturing and assembly processes. To improve the performance of the reducer, the “epicycloid-involute-hypocycloid” combined tooth profiles are designed and adopted as the ACG reducer’s drive teeth. The configuration principle of the ACG reducer is conducted. Next, a manufacturing method utilizing a rack cutter to generate the profile of drive teeth is presented. Finally, the meshing performance and mechanical behaviors of the designed internal meshing pair for the ACG reducer are evaluated. Results show that ACG reducer has the advantages of a simple structure and large transmission ratio. The combined tooth profiles can be machined at one time using the designed cutter, simplifying the tooth machining process. The internal meshing pair is linear contact and exhibits an obviously multi-teeth meshing effect, which benefits the carrying capacity and transmission performance of the ACG reducer.

Novel Electric Propulsion System Analysis Method for Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft Conceptual Design

This paper proposes novel enhancements to the electric propulsion system analysis method for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft conceptual design by considering the electrical characteristics of each electrical device in a more accurate manner. To this end, three modules for motor, inverter, and battery analysis are constructed using equivalent circuits and semi-empirical models. First, the motor analysis module is developed using equivalent circuit analysis with the operation control strategy for a permanent-magnet synchronous motor. Second, the inverter analysis module is built using average loss models for the switching and conduction losses. Third, the battery analysis module is improved using the near-linear discharge model to consider the voltage drop during operation. Moreover, additional modules, such as those for calculating the battery stack in series and parallel, as well as regression models for the motor and inverter performance parameters and consideration of the drive system type (direct or indirect, including a reduction gear), are implemented. A comparative study is presented from an analysis and design perspective while changing the drive system type (direct or indirect) and gear ratio, which highlights the importance of modeling electrical characteristics during eVTOL aircraft conceptual design.

Research on Gear Synthesis of Automatic Transmission

Abstract The lever method facilitates a straightforward analysis of the motion dynamics of an automatic transmission under various gear settings, offering a simple and intuitive approach to examining planetary gear transmissions. Specifically, the equivalent lever diagram for a parallel-double planetary gear transmission comprises four component points. From a control perspective, a transmission system with two planetary rows can accommodate up to two reduction gears, one direct gear, one overdrive gear, and one reverse gear. In contrast, the equivalent lever diagram for a parallel three-planetary gear transmission includes five component points, with such systems typically supporting up to three reduction gears, one direct gear, two overdrive gears, and two reverse gears. This methodological approach underscores the lever diagram’s utility in delineating the functional capabilities of complex transmission systems.

Development and application of power head for CBM vehicle mounted drilling rig

In order to meet the construction needs of surface coalbed methane extraction holes, cable holes, and mine surface rescue holes, a multifunctional power head suitable for coalbed methane vehicle mounted drilling rigs has been developed. The power head adopts a dual speed hydraulic motor to drive the spindle rotation through a first gear reduction, with a compact structure, high transmission efficiency, large spindle diameter, wide range of speed and torque adjustment, and spindle braking function. It can be applied to various drilling processes such as air down the hole hammer, air lift reverse circulation, and directional drilling. On site tests have shown that the power head has high capacity, efficiency, comprehensive functions, and is easy to operate, providing equipment support for efficient and safe drilling construction.