Designing More-Efficient Spur Gears

Abstract

Relatively simple method to calculate spur-gear system power loss for wide range of gear geometries and operating conditions developed. Method used to determine design requirements for efficient gearset. Effects of spur-gear size, pitch, ratio, pitch-line velocity and load on efficiency readily predictable with method. Analysis uses simple algebraic expressions to determine gear sliding, rolling, and windage losses and incorporates approximate ball-bearing power-loss expression. Predicted results show good agreement with published data.