UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

Faculty : Engineering & Science Unit Code : UEME3133

Course : Bachelor of Engineering Unit Title : Mechanics of Machines
(Hons) Mechanical
Engineering
Year/ : Year 3/ Semester 1 Lecturer :
Semester
Session :

Experiment 1 : Epicyclic Gear Train

1. Objectives
• To understand the working principle of epicyclic gear system.
• To calculate gear ratio of the epicyclic gear system.
• To determine the input power and output power of the epicyclic gear system.
• To determine the power loss of the epicyclic gear system.
• To measure the different stage epicyclic gear systems speed output.
• To measure the output torque generated by the epicyclic gear system.
• To calculate epicyclic gear system efficiency.
2. Theory
2.1 Introduction
A gear train is two or more gear working together by meshing their teeth and turning each other in a system to
generate power and speed. It reduces speed and increases torque. To create large gear ratio, gears are connected
together to form gear trains. They often consist of multiple gears in the train. The smaller gears are one-fifth of
the size of the larger gear. Electric motors are used with the gear systems to reduce the speed and increase the
torque. Electric motor is connected to the driving end of each train and is mounted on the test platform. The
output end output end of the gear train is connected to a large magnetic particle brake that is used to measure
the output torque.
Simple Gear Train - The most common of the gear train is the gear pair connecting parallel shafts. The teeth of
this type can be spur, helical or herringbone. The angular velocity is simply the reverse of the tooth ratio. The
main limitation of a simple gear train is that the maximum speed change ratio is 10:1. For larger ratio, large size
of gear trains are required; this may result in an imbalance of strength and wear capacities of the end gears.
The sprockets and chain in the bicycle is an example of simple gear train. When the paddle is pushed, the front
gear is turned and that meshes with the links in the chain. The chain moves and meshes with the links in the rear
gear that is attached to the rear wheel. This enables the bicycle to move.
Compound Gear Train - For large velocities, compound arrangement is preferred. Two keys are keyed to a
single shaft. A double reduction train can be arranged to have its input and output shafts in a line, by choosing
equal center distance for gears and pinions.
Epicyclic or Planetary Gear Train - It is made of few components, a small gear at the center called the sun,
several medium sized gears called the planets and a large external gear called the ring gear. The planet gears
rolls and revolves about the sun gear and the ring gear rolls on the planet gear. Planetary gear trains have
several advantages. They have higher gear ratios. They are popular for automatic transmissions in automobiles.
They are also used in bicycles for controlling power of pedaling automatically or manually. They are also used
for power train between internal combustion engine and an electric motor.

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2.2 Epicyclic Gearing
Epicyclic or planetary gearing is a gear system that consists of one or more outer gears, or planet gears, rotating
about a central, or sun gear. Typically, the planet gears are mounted on a movable arm or carrier which itself
may rotate relative to the sun gear. Epicyclic gearing systems may also incorporate the use of an outer ring gear
or annulus, which meshes with the planet gears.

ring gear
sun gear
(A)
(B) Figure 1
planet gear carrier

The epicyclic gearing shown in Figure 1 is to increase output speed. The planet gear carrier is driven by an
input torque. The sun gear provides the output torque, while the ring gear is fixed. Note both the marks (A) on
the planet carrier and (B) on the sun gear before and after the input drive have rotated 45° clockwise.
2.3 Gear ratio
The gear ratio in an epicyclic gearing system is somewhat non-intuitive, particularly because there are several
ways in which an input rotation can be converted into an output rotation. The three basic components of the
epicyclic gear are:
• Sun - The central gear.
• Planet carrier - Holds one or more peripheral planet gears, same size, meshed with the sun gear.
• Annulus - An outer ring with inward-facing teeth that mesh with the planet gear or gears.

planet gear

sun gear

planet gear carrier

Figure 2
Figure 2 shows the carrier is held stationary while the sun gear is used as input. The planet gears turn in a ratio
determined by the number of teeth in each gear. Here, the ratio is -24/16, or -3/2; each planet gear turns at 3/2
the rate of the sun gear, in the opposite direction.
In many epicyclic gearing systems, one of these three basic components is held stationary; one of the two
remaining components is an input, providing power to the system, while the last component is an output,
receiving power from the system. The ratio of input rotation to output rotation is dependent upon the number of
teeth in each gear, and upon which component is held stationary.
One situation is when the planetary carrier is held stationary, and the sun gear is used as input. In this case, the
planetary gears simply rotate about their own axes at a rate determined by the number of teeth in each gear. If
the sun gear has S teeth, and each planet gear has P teeth, then the ratio is equal to -S/P. For instance, if the sun
gear has 24 teeth, and each planet has 16 teeth, then the ratio is -24/16, or -3/2; this means that one clockwise
turn of the sun gear produces 1.5 counterclockwise turns of the planet gears.
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This rotation of the planet gears can in turn drive the annulus, in a corresponding ratio. If the annulus has A
teeth, then the annulus will rotate by P/A turns for each turn of the planet gears. For instance, if the annulus has
64 teeth, and the planets 16, one clockwise turn of a planet gear results in 16/64, or 1/4 clockwise turns of the
annulus. Extending this case from the one above:
• One turn of the sun gear results in - S / P turns of the planets
• One turn of a planet gear results in P / A turns of the annulus
So, with the planetary carrier locked, one turn of the sun gear results in - S / A turns of the annulus.
The annulus may also be held fixed, with input provided to the planetary gear carrier; output rotation is then
produced from the sun gear. This configuration will produce an increase in gear ratio, equal to 1 + A/S.
If the annulus is held stationary and the sun gear is used as the input, the planet carrier will be the output. The
gear ratio in this case will be 1 / (1 + A/S). This is the lowest gear ratio attainable with an epicyclic gear train.
This type of gearing is sometimes used in tractors and construction equipment to provide high torque to the
drive wheels.
More planet and sun gear units can be placed in series in the same ring gear housing (where the output shaft of
the first stage becomes the input shaft of the next stage) providing a larger (or smaller) gear ratio. This is the
way some automatic transmission work.
2.4 A simpler way to calculate the output RPM from the input RPM
It is first drawn simplified as the sun, a single planet, the annulus, and an arm holding the planet. Any gear can
be the input or output, including the arm. Now, simply plug in the known values and solve for wout:

where N is the number of teeth, w is rpm.

NOTE: If the arm is the input or output, say the ring is the output/input instead and reverse the direction (since
if the arm moves a certain speed relative to the ring, the ring moves that same speed the other way relative to
the arm, and obviously the arm does not have a tooth count to plug in).
To derive this, just imagine the arm is locked, and calculate the gear ratio wout : win = Nin : Nout, then unlock the
arm. From the arms reference frame the ratio is always Nin / Nout, but from your frame all the speeds are
increased by the angular velocity of the arm. So to write this relative relationship, you arrive at the equation
from above. Also, make sure Nsun + 2Nplanet = Nring where N is the number of teeth. This simply says that the
gears will fit, since N is directly proportional to diameter.
3. Apparatus
1. Motorized Epicyclic Gear Train which consists of:
A = Spring scale
B = Pulley and belt
C = 3rd stage epicyclic gear train
D = 2nd stage epicyclic gear train
E = 1st stage epicyclic gear train
F = Inductive sensor
G = Main On/Off
H = Motor speed controller and digital speed display
I = Digital torque meter
J = Digital speed meter (for annulas of the 1st stage)
K = Geared motor
2. Stop watch
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Useful Information

Number of teeth Pitch diameter (mm) Pitch size (mm)

Sun Gear 18 36 7
Planetary Gear 21 44 7
Ring Gear 60 120 7

J H K E D C

I B

G F

Figure 3 – Epicyclic gear train apparatus

4. Safety and Precautions
1. No body part should touch any rotating object.
2. Do not attempt to change any setting of the digital meters.
3. Do not impact the load cell.
4. Ensure the belt if properly sit on the pulley and tighten to the spring scales.
5. Do not run the motor for more than 70rpm
6. Stop the apparatus immediately if the gear system does not move when the motor is running.
5. Experiment
5.1 Procedures
1. Use a calliper, measure the diameter of the pulley. Record this value.
2. Ensure the belt if properly sit on the pulley (B) and tighten to the spring scales (A). Apply 6 kg to each of
the spring load by turning the wing nut provided.
3. Switch ON the main switch (G) of the apparatus at the control panel.
4. Ensure all the digital meters are working in order. Reset the speed and torque digital meter (I, J) to zero by
pressing the up button. Clear all the maximum and minimum value of the meters by pressing the max/min
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 button for 1 second.
5. Switch ON the gear motor and slowly increase the speed of the motor to the 30 rpm by pressing the ^ button
of the motor speed controller (H). The motor speed is shown on the speed controller. State down this
reading.
6. Calculate the 2nd stage ring gear output speed (D). State down the time taken to complete 1 cycle using a
stop watch. (NOTE: Take few set of reading to achieve better average time).
7. Calculate the 3rd stage ring gear output speed (C). State down the time taken to complete 1 cycle using a
stop watch. (NOTE: Take few set of reading to achieve better average time).
8. State down the torque reading from the digital torque meter (I). The torque reading will be fluctuating. Press
on the max/min button to obtain the maximum torque reading.
9. State down the 1st stage ring gear speed from the digital speed meter (J).
10. From the spring scale (A), measure the force generated. Both of the scale will move up and down. Take the
different between the maximum and minimum value as the force reading. State down this reading.
11. Repeat step 3 to 9 using different type of input speed (i.e. 40, 50, 60 rpm). (NOTE: Do not run the motor for
more than 70 rpm).
5.2 Result

Motor Speed (RPM) Torque Input (Nm) 1st Stage Ring Gear Speed (RPM) Force Output (kg)
1 30
2 40
3 50
4 60

Calculation of power input to the epicyclic gear system

Motor Speed (RPM) Motor angular speed (rad/s) Torque Input (Nm) Power Input (W)
1 30
2 40
3 50
4 60

Calculation for the 2nd stage ring gear speed

Motor Speed (RPM) Number of cycle Time (s) 2nd stage ring gear speed (RPS) RPS * 2π
(rad/s)
1 30
2 40
3 50
4 60

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Calculation for the 3rd stage ring gear speed

Motor Speed (RPM) Number of cycle Time (s) 3r stage ring gear speed (RPS) RPS * 2π
(rad/s)
1 30
2 40
3 50
4 60

Calculation for torque & power generated at the 3rd stage of epicyclic gear

Motor Speed (RPM) Force Output (kg) Force Output (N) Torque Output Power Output
(Nm) (W)
1 30
2 40
3 50
4 60

Calculation of power loss and overall efficiency

Motor Speed Power input Power output Power loss (W) Overall
(RPM) (W) (W) efficiency, η
1 30
2 40
3 50
4 60

Calculation of speed ratio of the epicyclic gear system

Motor Speed 1st stage ring gear 2nd stage ring gear 3rd stage ring gear
(rad/s), R1 speed (rad/s), R2 speed (rad/s), R3 speed (rad/s), R4
1 3.142
2 4.189
3 5.237
4 6.284