A gear is nothing without its counterparts. Gears work in conjunction with other components within a gear system to achieve specific mechanical functions. These counterparts work together synergistically to form functional gear assemblies capable of transmitting motion and torque, converting speed and torque ratios, and performing a wide range of mechanical tasks in various applications across industries.

For wind turbine main gearboxes (MGBs) with about 1 MW or higher power, gearbox designs with multiple power paths are used. They handle several mega-Newton-meter of torque economically. Earlier wind turbines with lower power ratings used parallel shaft gearboxes with only one power path but soon they were superseded by planetary gearboxes having typically three to five planets per stage. This paper describes experiences using planetary gears where “Flexpins” are used to improve the load sharing between the individual planets—representing the multitude of power paths—and along the planet’s face width.

This paper shows a methodology to extensively evaluate different designs of epicyclic gear systems. As outlined, no choice is required on the part of the designer who is free to probe all design variables.