Tutorial: GEARS II

• Lewis Equation
• Determination of Module and Face Width

Prof. J. Uziak
Problem – Determination of Module & Face Width
A pair of 4:1 reduction gears is designed for 75 kW motor, whose full load speed is
1120 rev/min.

The gears are to be cut at pressure angle of 20o full-depth system and made of
BS640M40 alloy steel, heat-treated and tempered to

Sut=800 MPa and

Syt=580 MPa.

The teeth are generated with a rack cutter.

Consider that fatigue is not a possibility in this design.

Make an estimate of the size of gears neglecting that the motor starting torque may
be greater than the full-load torque.

2
Equation to be used: Lewis or AGMA, and why?

3
Application of Bending Stress Equations

Modified Lewis tooth bending stress:

Used:
 Fatigue failure is not a problem, Wt
 Quick estimate of gear size is needed,
 Kv
F mY
 For later use of these results in
detailed analysis.

AGMA equation for tooth bending stress

Used: Wt
• For important applications, or  Ko Km Kv
FmJ
• When the possibility of fatigue failure
must be considered and analyzed.
Equation to be used: Lewis or AGMA, and why?

Determine pinion and gear tooth number

To avoid interference the minimum number of teeth on the pinion for pressure angle
of  = 20o and full depth system:

Np = N2 = 18 teeth

To achieve 4:1 reduction gear ratio the number of teeth on the gear:

2 N 3 4
   4  N 3  4  N 2  4 18  72 teeth
3 N 2 1

Speed reduction ratio 4:1

72-tooth gear to mate with an 18-tooth pinion
5
Calculate permissible bending stress for the pinion teeth, σp
Factor of Safety (FS) - for gears the must be greater than 3

Assuming FS=3.8

Permissible bending stress:

S yt 580
p    152.6 MPa  153 MPa
FS 3 .8

Lewis Form Factor (Y) Value

When the gear and the pinion are made of the same material, the pinion is
always the weaker of the two, because the teeth of the pinion being 18 are just
about to receive undercutting.
Lewis Form Factor for full-depth teeth system, 20o pressure angle, and 18-
teeth pinion from Table:
Y = 0.293270 6
Selection of trial values for the module, m
Large power transmitted - 75 kW and
Motor speed high - n2=1120 rpm
choose from the following three preferred values for the module:
m = 5, 6 and 8 mm

Estimating the pinion face width, F

Data obtained so far such as;

N2 = 18 teeth,
σp = 153 MPa,

Three selected values of the module m= 5, 6, 8 mm

7
Design procedure
d  m  N  10 
3
1 Pitch diameter of pinion: m
2 Pitch-line velocity: dn m/s
V
[n speed in rev/min] 60
3 Transmitted (tangential) load: H N
[H power inWatts] W t 
V
4 Velocity factor (no fatigue): 6 V
Kv 
6
5 Permissible bending stress p use FS>3 MPa
6 Lewis factor Y from the table From table
7 Face width F Wt mm
F KV
mY p
8 Limits for the face width: 3p ≤ F ≤ 5p mm
[p = m – circular pitch]
9 Tabulate results to find optimum width 8
Modified Lewis tooth bending stress:

Wt
 Kv
F mY

Wt
F Kv
m Y
Quantity Equation Results
Module 5 6 8
Pinion diameter: d2= mN2
Pitch-line velocity: V=(dpnp)/60
Transmitted load: Wt = H/V
Velocity factor : KV = (6+V)/6
p (assume SF=3.8) p =Syt/(FS)
Lewis factor Y Table
Face width F F=WtKV /(mpY)
Min face width Fmin= 3p=3m
Min face width Fmax= 3p=5m
Optimum face width 3p ≤ F ≤ 5p
Module 6 mm gives satisfactory solution 10
Quantity Equation Results
Module 5 6 8
Pinion diameter: d2= mN2 0.09 0.108 0.144
Pitch-line velocity: V=(dpnp)/60 5.278 6.333 8.445
Transmitted load: Wt = H/V 14210 11843 8882
Velocity factor : KV = (6+V)/6 1.8797 2.0551 2.4073
p (assume SF=3.8) p =Syt/(FS) 153
Lewis factor Y Table Y = 0.293270
Face width F F=WtKV /(mpY) 119.37 90.64 59.72
Min face width Fmin= 3p=3m 47.1 56.6 75.4
Max face width Fmax= 3p=5m 78.5 94.2 125.7
Optimum face width 3p ≤ F ≤ 5p 56.6 < 90.64 < 94.2

Module 6 mm gives satisfactory solution 11

Result of 90.64 mm for the face width should now be converted to an
equivalent preferred metric size as explained in course MMB 322.

Excerpt of the table is shown below

Final decision is based on the section of the nearest larger preferred

metric size for the face width F that condition on the face width: 3p ≤ F ≤ 5p

90 mm First choice
92 mm Third choice
95 mm Second choice
98 mm Third choice

Gear face width = 92 mm

12