Modelling Dependencies and Couplings in the Design Space of Meshing Gear Sets

This work presents a design methodology based on the combination of a set of compatibility equations for determining nominal tooth and cutter geometry and a set of tooth contact analysis equations for determining modified tooth surfaces and motion transmission laws. Both have been shown separately to lead to various optimisations, and some parametric subspaces of the designed gears are shown to be so weakly coupled that optimisations found individually may be superimposed, as shown in the case of the gear pair stiffness function, dynamical load factor, bending fatigue strength and pitting/ scoring resistance optimisation. This is in contrast to traditional strengthening methods, such as profile shifting, which invariably produce much stronger couplings and thereby trade-offs.