The world economy is in turmoil.
A year ago, the Dow Jones industrial
average was more than 14,000. As
I write this, after eight straight days
of massive losses and a week of wild
up-and-down swings, the average
sits at about 8,900.
Never have so few served so many. That, in essence, describes gear makers
and the role they play in our world.
Think of it—although the gear cutting
industry represents much less than one
percent of the global workforce—the
gears it produces are what make things
run in practically every industry and
profession imaginable. From bulldozers
to Rolexes, gears are an integral part of the mix.
In this study, the combined influence of shaft misalignments and gear lead crown on load distribution and tooth bending stresses is investigated. Upon conclusion, the experimental results are correlated with predictions of a gear load distribution model, and recommendations are provided for optimal lead crown in a given misalignment condition.
Part I, which was published in the September/October 2008 issue, covered gear materials, desired microstructure, coil design and tooth-by-tooth induction hardening. Part II covers spin hardening and various heating concepts used with it.
This paper will demonstrate that, unlike commonly used low-contact-ratio spur gears, high-contact-ratio spur gears can provide higher power-to-weight ratio, and can also achieve smoother running with lower transmission error (TE) variations.
Forensics isn't just for tough-talking, crime-busting scientists--most commonly found on your television; the tactic also holds the key to successful gearbox design and manufacture.