A design guide for very small power transmission

gears considering tooth surface strength and

manufacturing cost

K. Okabe 1, K. Shoda 2, Y. Tozaki 3, M. Nabekura 2, T. Ohira 2, T. Yoshimi 2,

2
A. Umeda
1
MHI Sagami High-tech Ltd, Japan
2
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd, Japan
3
Kinki University, Japan

ABSTRACT

The pitting damages on the tooth surface sometimes occurred on the transmission gears
for the auxiliaries of the diesel engine during a short operation even if the transmission
power was very small. According to general design thinking, when a power is very small,
a size and a manufacturing cost can also be small. However, the above phenomenon does
not represent this thinking but represent the necessity of a particular design guide. We
reproduced this phenomenon by the simulation and also drew the original formulas for
cost estimation. We drew the original design guide by them.

1 INTRODUCTION

The pitting damages on the tooth surface sometimes occur on the power transmission
gears for the auxiliaries of the diesel engine during a short operation time even if the
load of these gears is very small compared with the main load of the engine. For instance,
in case of 0.12kW transmission gears for auxiliary on 53kW marine diesel engine,
although the transmission power was very small such as the bending stress 3MPa and
the contact stress 130MPa, the pitting on the tooth surface occurred during a short
operation such as 200 hours. This phenomenon occurs regardless of the engine power
from a few decade kW to a few ten thousand kW. According to general design thinking, if
a load is very small, a size can be small and a manufacturing cost also can be low. But the
above phenomenon does not represent this thinking but represents a necessity of a
particular design guide for very small power transmission gears. In the previous study
the rotational vibration of a gear pair during transmission of light load was simulated,
but the phenomenon of tooth surface separation, reverse side tooth gearing could not be
simulated.(1) Further we don’t know the previous study that showed a design guide for a
very small power transmission gears considering manufacturing cost. The outline of this
paper is as follows

(a) We reproduced the phenomenon of tooth surface separation, reverse side tooth
gearing, and tooth surface strength falling by the non-linear simulation on both the
0.12 kW transmission gears that were small module gears for the auxiliaries of the

________________________________________
858 © The author(s) and/or their employer(s), 2014
 53 kW marine engine and the 293 kW transmission gears that were large module
gears for the auxiliaries of the 18,040 kW marine engine.

(b) On these simulations the transmission torque, backlash, module, and face width
were made to be parameters and the degree of influences on tooth surface
separation, reverse side tooth gearing, and tooth surface strength falling were
evaluated by changing these parameters.

(c) The while, the original cost equation that could express a manufacturing cost of a
gear that is from a small size mass-produced gear to a large size non-mass-
produced gear by one formula regardless of a size and volume was proposed.

(d) By evaluation of influence of parameters by (b) and evaluation of cost by (c), a

design guide for very small power transmission gears considering a tooth surface
strength and a manufacturing cost was proposed.

2 NONLINEAR SIMULATION MODEL

2.1 Symbols
η : Viscosity p : Pressure of oil film
η0 : Viscosity at p = 0 α : Pressure viscosity index
(
m1 , m2 : Equivalent mass of gear = I / rg2 ) k1 , k2 : Stiffness of shaft
I1 , I 2 : Polar moment of inertia of gear rg1 , rg 2 : Radius of base circle of gear
f1 , f 2 : External force acting on gear θ1 , θ 2 : Rotational angle of gear
x1 , x2 : Displacement in a line of action of gear c1 , c2 : Damping coefficient of shaft
f R , f B : Reaction force against bending deflection of tooth on tooth surface
PR , PB : Force that oil film receives δR : Bending deflection of tooth
δ : Vibration velocity of tooth
R ci : Contact damping coefficient of tooth
m ( t ) : Number of contact teeth b : Face width
ki ( t , δ R ) : Component elasticity of one pair mesh
vR , vB : Velocity of approach vr : Velocity of sliding
hR , hB : Thickness of oil film R : Radius of relative curvature
Subscript 1: drive gear, 2: driven gear, R: normal rotation side, B: reverse rotation side

2.2 Model and equations

The kinematic vibration model of gear pair mesh is shown in Figure 1(2). The vibration of
gear pair mesh was modelled by replacing as one on the line of action. It was made as
the series direct connection model that connected oil film element with spring-damping
element, in order to consider the coupled vibration that coupled the tooth deflection
with the damping by wedge effect and squeeze effect of oil film.

859
 Driven

Driven gear Driven gear

I2 Driver
θ2
m2 k1
rg 2
Line of action x2 Spring-
dashpot Oil film
m1 c1
Drive gear model model
x1 m1
PB fB fR PR
rg 1
θ1 Reverse rotation side Normal rotation side
I1 Driven gear
m2
Drive gear Drive gear k2

c2
(a) Torsional vibration (b) Transformation of torsional (c) Final vibration model of gear pair
model of gear pair vibration into vibration in the
direction of the line of action
Fig. 1 Vibration model of gear pair

The oil film was modelled by assumption that the drive and driven gears were replaced
as the rigid cylinders that had an equivalent radius of relative curvature and the oil
viscosity was expressed as the following Braus formula.

η = η0 exp (α p ) (1)

The equation of motion for the model shown in Fig. 1 (c) was expressed as follows.

x1 + c1 x1 + k1 x1 = f1 − ( f R − f B )
⎧ m1 
⎪
x2 + c2 x2 + k2 x2 = f 2 + ( f R − f B )
⎪m2 
⎨ (2)
⎪ f R = PR
⎪⎩ f B = PB

The reaction force against bending deflection of tooth on normal rotation side was
obtained as the following formula taking change of number of contact teeth into account.

m(t )
fR = ∑ ⎡⎣ ki ( t , δ R ) ⋅ δ R + ci ⋅ δR ⎤⎦ (3)
i =1

The reaction force against bending deflection of tooth on reverse tooth surface was also
obtained in the same way.

The force that oil film receives was expressed as the following function of thickness of
oil film, velocity of approach, velocity of sliding and radius of relative curvature.

PR = m ( t ) ⋅ b ⋅ F (η0 , hR , vR , vr , R ) (4)

The detail explanation about these model and equations were shown in the previous
paper(2) that was presented by one of the authors of this paper.

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3 SPECIFICATIONS OF ANALYSED OBJECTS

3.1 0.12kW transmission gears for auxiliary on 53kW marine diesel engine
The specifications of the analysed gear pair are shown in Table 1 and the shafting
configuration is shown in Figure 2. The drive gear is fixed to the end face of the cam
shaft and the driven gear is connected to the water pump that is one of auxiliaries. The
engine cycles are 4. The number of rotations of the cam shaft is 1500 min-1. The
variation of the cam shaft torque that is generated by the fuel injection pressure is
shown in Figure 3. When this torque was applied to the drive gear, the kinetic force of
the gear pair mesh was calculated by the above simulation. After that, this kinetic force
was converted to the bending stress and the contact stress of tooth by the static
calculations.

Table 1 Specifications of analyzed gear pair for 0.12kW transmission gear

Drive gear Driven gear
Normal module (mm) 3
Number of teeth 42 21
Face width (mm) 14.5 12
Helix angle (deg.) 0
Normal pressure angle (deg.) 20
Tooth height (mm) 6.75
Teeth top diameter (mm) 132 69
Center distance (mm) 94.5
Transverse contact ratio 1.65
Revolution speed (rpm) 1500 3000
Viscosity (×10-6m2/s) 15

Gear for
Gear with a fresh water
Belt pulley
a cam shaft pump (Driven gear)
for a alternator
(Drive gear) Gear for
Gear for The second a injection
a seawater intermediate pump 3.0E-01
pump gear
Cam shaft torque [Nm]

The first 2.0E-01

intermediate
gear 1.0E-01
Gear with 0.0E+00
a crank shaft
-1.0E-01

-2.0E-01
Gear for -3.0E-01
a gear pump 0 60 120 180 240 300 360
Cam shaft angle [deg]

Fig. 2 Configuration of crankshaft Fig. 3 Variation of Cam shaft torque

drive system for 53kW marine
diesel engine

3.2 293kW transmission gears for auxiliary on 18,040kW marine diesel engine
The specifications of the analysed gear pair are shown in Table 2 and the shafting
configuration is shown in Figure 4. The engine cycles are 4. The number of rotations of
the engine is 108 min-1. The analysed gear pairs are shown as contact c, d, e in Fig. 4.
When the variation of the crank shaft torque that was generated by the gas explosion
and cone rod motion was applied to the drive gear with the crank shaft, the kinetic force
of the each gear pair was calculated by the above simulation. After that, this kinetic force
was converted to the bending stress and the contact stress of tooth by the static
calculations.

861
 Table 2 Specifications of analysed gear pairs for 293kW transmission gears
Contact ① Contact ② Contact ③
Drive Driven Drive Driven Drive Driven
Normal module (mm) 14 14 12
Number of teeth 124 94 94 43 91 21
Face width (mm) 174 174 174 174 75 75
Helix angle (deg.) 0 0 0
Normal pressure angle (deg.) 20 20 20
Tooth height (mm) 31.5 31.5 27
Teeth top diameter (mm) 1764 1344 1344 630 1116 276
Center distance (mm) 1526 959 672
Transverse contact ratio 1.86 1.79 1.71
Revolution speed (rpm) 108 142 142 311 311 1350

Viscosity (×10-6m2/s) 95 95 95

Gear for Contact ③

a gear pump
(Driven gear) The second
intermediate
gear (Drive gear)
The first Contact ②
intermediate
The second
gear (Driven
intermediate
& Drive gear)
gear (Driven Contact ①
gear)
Gear with
a crank shaft
(Drive gear)

Fig. 4 Configuration of crankshaft drive system

for 18,040kW marine diesel engine

4 CALCULATED RESULTS AND CONSIDERATIONS

4.1 0.12kW transmission gears for auxiliary on 53kW marine diesel engine
The calculated result of the kinetic contact stress of the 0.12kW transmission gears for
auxiliary on 53kW marine diesel engine is shown in Figure 5. Although the transmission
power was very small such as the static contact stress 0.13 GPa as before, the kinetic
stress six times as large as this static stress such as 0.8GPa was generated. Further the
tooth surface separation that was shown as 0 GPa and the reverse side tooth contact that
was shown as minus GPa were generated. When the transmission power was temporally
replaced by the ten-times power, no tooth surface separation and no reverse side tooth
contact were generated as Figure 6.
Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

1 1

0.5 0.5

0 0

-0.5 -0.5
0.000 0.100 0.200 0.300 0.400 0.500 0.600 0.000 0.100 0.200 0.300 0.400 0.500 0.600
Time　[s] Time　[s]

Fig. 5 Calculated results of the Fig. 6 Calculated results of kinetic hertzion

kinetic contact stress of 0.12kW stress of the power transmission gears ten
transmission gears times as large as 0.12kW

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It became clear that our simulation could reproduce the phenomena of tooth surface
separation, reverse side tooth contact, and tooth surface strength falling and could be
used as the tool for our study of this paper, in the same manner as the previous study(2)
already verified the reproducibility of these phenomena on the actual engine.

4.2 293kW transmission gears for auxiliary on 18,040kW marine diesel engine
The pitting that was caused by the tooth surface separation, the reverse side tooth
contact, and the tooth surface strength falling also occurred during a short operation on
the 293kW transmission gears for auxiliary on 18,040kW marine diesel engine. In this
section these phenomena were reproduced by the same simulation and the main
parameters that might influence them were evaluated. Backlash, face width, and module
were selected for the main parameters and the kinetic contact stress was calculated at
the combination of each parameter that was shown in Table 3, 4, 5 without change of
centre distance and reduction gear ratio. The miss alignment of shafts was 0 rad. The
calculated results are shown in Figure 7, 8, 9.

Table 3 Combination of backlash [mm] Table 4 Combination of face width [mm]

Small Original Large Original ×1.5 ×3.0
Contact ① 0.11 0.3 0.49 Contact ① 174 261 522
Contact ② 0.09 0.28 0.47 Contact ② 174 261 522
Contact ③ 0.05 0.25 0.45 Contact ③ 75 112.5 225

Table 5 Combination of module [mm]

Small Original Large
m [mm] Number of teeth m [mm] Number of teeth m [mm] Number of teeth
145 124 108
Contact ① 12 14 16
109 94 83
109 94 83
Contact ② 12 14 16
51 43 37
109 91 77
Contact ③ 10 12 14
25 21 18

4.2.1 Effect of backlash

The calculated results of the kinetic contact stress of the contact c, d, e were shown in
Fig. 7 when the backlash was changed according to the Table 3. The following became
clear from the above results.
(a) At the contact c, d the tooth surface separation and reverse side tooth contact
were generated. At the contact e the tooth surface separation and no reverse side
tooth contact were generated.
(b) At the contact c, d, making backlash small was effective for making the amplitude
of rotational vibration small. At the contact e it was a few effective.

4.2.2 Effect of face width

The calculated results of the kinetic contact stress of the contact c, d, e were shown in
Fig. 8 when the face width was changed according to the Table 4. The following became
clear from the above results. When the face width was made large, both mean and
amplitude of rotational vibration became small. The main reason was that an increase of a
face width naturally makes a contact stress small.

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 Max. 0.70 Min. -0.67 Amp. 1.38 Max. 0.87 Min. -0.78 Amp. 1.66 Max. 0.97 Min. -0.81 Amp. 1.78
2 2 2

Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

1 1 1
0 0 0
-1 -1 -1
-2 -2 -2
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Time　[s] Time　[s] Time　[s]
Backlash: Small Original Backlash: Large
Contact c Face pressure

Max. 0.90 Min. -0.82 Amp. 1.72 Max. 1.07 Min. -0.96 Amp. 2.03 Max. 1.26 Min. -1.09 Amp. 2.35
2 2 2

Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

1 1 1
0 0 0
-1 -1 -1
-2 -2 -2
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Time　[s] Time　[s] Time　[s]
Backlash: Small Original Backlash: Large
Contact d Face pressure
Max.1.42 Min. 0.00 Amp. 1.42 Max. 1.59 Min. 0.00 Amp. 1.59 Max. 1.70 Min. 0.00 Amp. 1.70
2 2 2

Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]
Face pressure [GPa]

1 1 1

0 0 0

-1 -1 -1
-2 -2 -2
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Time　[s] Time　[s] Time　[s]

Backlash: Small Original Backlash: Large

Contact ③ Face pressure

Fig. 7 Calculated results of gear surface pressure when backlash was changed

Max. 0.87 Min. -0.78 Amp. 1.66 Max.0.83 Min. -0.77 Amp. 1.61 Max.0.62 Min. -0.62 Amp. 1.23
2 2 2
Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

1 1 1
0 0 0
-1 -1 -1
-2 -2 -2
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Time　[s] Time　[s] Time　[s]
Original Width ×1.5 Width ×3.0
Contact c Face pressure
Max.1.07 Min. 0.96 Amp. 2.02 Max.1.10 Min. 0.95 Amp. 2.04 Max. 0.91 Min. -0.88 Amp. 1.80
2 2 2
Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

1 1 1

0 0 0

-1 -1 -1

-2 -2 -2
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Time　[s] Time　[s] Time　[s]

Original Width ×1.5 Width ×3.0

Contact d Face pressure
Max. 1.59 Min. 0.00 Amp. 1.59 Max. 1.34 Min. 0.31 Amp. 1.65 Max.1.05 Min. -0.77 Amp. 1.82
2 2 2
Face pressure [GPa]
Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

1 1 1
0 0 0
-1 -1 -1
-2 -2 -2
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Time　[s] Time　[s] Time　[s]
Original Width ×1.5 Width ×3.0
Contact ③ Face pressure

Fig. 8 Calculated results of gear surface pressure when face width was changed

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4.2.3 Effect of module
The calculated results of the kinetic contact stress of the contact c, d, e were shown in
Fig. 9 when the module was changed according to the Table 5. The following became
clear from the above results.
(a) At the contact c, d where the reverse side tooth contact was generated, changing
module was few effective for making the amplitude of rotational vibration small.
(b) At the contact e where no reverse side tooth contact was generated, making the
module small made the amplitude of rotational vibration small.

Max. 0.98 Min. -0.83 Amp. 1.81 Max. 0.87 Min. -0.78 Amp. 1.66 Max. 0.80 Min. -0.63 Amp. 1.43
2 2 2

Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

1 1 1
0 0 0
-1 -1 -1
-2 -2 -2
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Time　[s] Time　[s] Time　[s]
Original
Module: Small Module: Large
Contact c Face pressure
Max. 1.17 Min. -0.98 Amp. 2.15 Max. 1.07 Min. -0.96 Amp. 2.02 Max. 1.00 Min. -0.84 Amp. 1.84
2 2 2
Face pressure [GPa]
Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

1 1 1
0 0 0
-1 -1 -1
-2 -2 -2
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Time　[s] Time　[s] Time　[s]
Original
Module: Small Module: Large
Contact d Face pressure
Max. 1.11 Min. 0.00 Amp. 1.11 Max. 1.59 Min. 0.00 Amp. 1.59 Max. 1.80 Min. 0.00 Amp. 1.80
2 2 2
Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

Face pressure [GPa]

1 1 1
0 0 0
-1 -1 -1
-2 -2 -2
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Time　[s] Time　[s] Time　[s]
Module: Small Original Module: Large
Contact ③ Face pressure

Fig. 9 Calculated results of gear surface pressure when module was changed

5 EQUATION FOR COST ESTIMATION

5.1 Hobbing
It was made our purpose that a machining cost of a gear which is from a small size mass-
produced gear such as m=3 to a large size non-mass-produced gear such as m=16 could
be calculated by one formula regardless of a size and volume. Firstly a hobbing was
made the subject of our study.

When a size of gear changes, a size of hobbing machine and tool also changes. Although
these are changed, a material and hardness of gear and these of tool were assumed not
to change. Therefore it was assumed that a relationship between a size of gear and an
ability of machining might be applied to an analogy and a machining time that was
equivalent to a machining cost might be expressed by a function of only a removal
volume with machining. A machining condition is generally decided by adjustment
between a speed of feeding Sf and a depth of cutting Dc. that means a high speed of
feeding with shallow cutting or a slow speed of feeding with a deep cutting. Since a
product of Sf multiplied by Dc was equivalent to a removal volume per unit time in any
case, a removal volume was assumed to be in direct proportion to a machining time.

865
The removal volume of hobbing could be obtained as the following equation by
approximating a rectangular prism as Figure 10.

Vh = π m × 2.25m × Z × b (5)
2 cos β

Here, m: module, Z: Number of teeth, b: Face width, β：Helix angle

The dimensions and costs of gears for the forklift truck, machine tool, printing machine,
land diesel engine, and marine diesel engine which meant from a small size gear to a
large size gear were arranged in one table and the relationship between each hobbing
cost Ch and the removal volume Vh which was calculated by equation (5) was shown as
Figure 11. It became clear that the hobbing cost Ch was approximately in direct
proportion to the removal volume Vh. Therefore the hobbing cost can be calculated from
the following equation by reading the slope Kh of the line of Fig. 11.

Ch = K h × π m × 2.25m × Z × b (6)
2 cos β

Hob maching cost

0000

0000
ホブ加工費cost

2.25m 0000
Hob maching

0000

0000

0000
0000

πm/2 b/cosβ 0
0.0E+00 1.0E+06 2.0E+06 3.0E+06 4.0E+06 5.0E+06 6.0E+06
3
Hob maching volume, mm

Fig. 10 Removal volume of hobbing Fig. 11 Relationship between removal

volume and hobbing cost

5.2 Grinding
The grinding cost could be obtained in the same way as the hobbing. Since the removal
volume of grinding could be obtained as the following equation by approximating as
Figure 12, the relationship between each grinding cost Cg and the removal volume Vg
which was calculated by equation (7) was shown as Figure 13.

Vg = 2.25m × Z × 2δ × b (7)
cos α cos β

Here, δ: Allowance for grinding

The grinding cost Cg can be calculated from the following equation by reading the slope
Kg of Figure 13.

C g = K g × 2.25m × Z × 2δ × b (8)
cos α cos β

866
 Grinding cost
350000

300000

δ 250000

Grinding cost
2.25m 200000

150000

100000

α
50000

b/cosβ 0.00E+00 5.00E+04 1.00E+05 1.50E+05 2.00E+05

3
Grinding volume, mm

Fig. 13 Relationship between

Fig. 12 Removal volume of grinding removal volume and grinding cost

6 GESIGN GUIDE CONSIDERING TOOTH STRENGTH AND MANUFACTURING COST

6.1 Effect of backlash

Making backlash small was effective for making the amplitude of rotational vibration
small as mentioned in the above section 4.2.1. The effect of backlash on the
manufacturing cost could not be evaluated by the equation (6), (8) but it was easily
understood that making a backlash small made the manufacturing cost high. Therefore it
became clear that the relationship between the effect on the tooth surface strength and
one on the manufacturing cost by changing backlash was a trade-off relationship.

6.2 Effect of face width

Making a face width large was effective for making the amplitude of rotational vibration
small as mentioned in the above section 4.2.2. The effect of face width on the
manufacturing cost could be evaluated by the equation (6), (8) and it was easily clear
that making a face width large made the manufacturing cost high. Therefore it became
clear that the relationship between the effect on the tooth surface strength and one on
the manufacturing cost by changing face width was a trade-off relationship.

6.3 Effect of module

Changing a module was not effective for making the amplitude of rotational vibration
small as mentioned in the above section 4.2.3. The effect of a module on the hobbing cost
could be evaluated by the equation (6) as follows in case of the first intermediate gear in
Fig. 4 for example.

In case of m=14, Z=94, and b=174 Ch=1.13E+07Kh

In case of m=12, Z=109, and b=174 Ch=0.97E+07Kh
In case of m=8, Z=165, and b=174 Ch=0.65E+07Kh

It became clear that making a module small made a hobbing cost low.

The effect of a module on the grinding cost could be evaluated by the equation (8) as
follows in case of the first intermediate gear in Fig. 4 for example.

In case of m=14, Z=94, and b=174 Cg=3.27E+05Kg

In case of m=12, Z=109, and b=174 Cg=3.27E+05Kg
In case of m=8, Z=165, and b=174 Cg=3.30E+05Kg

It became clear that changing a module was not effective for making a grinding cost low.

867
7 CONCLUSION

The design guide for very small power transmission gears considering tooth surface
strength and manufacturing cost could be obtained as follows.
(a) Making a backlash small or making a face width large are effective for an inhibition
of tooth surface separation and reverse side tooth gearing, but makes a cost-up.
(b) Making a module small without changing the current centre distance and
reduction gear ratio had a possibility of cost down. Otherwise checking to make a
bending stress within an allowable one and to avoid a sympathetic vibration of a
system due to changing a mesh frequency.
(c) At a gear contact where no rotational vibration due to a very small power
transmission, making a backlash large had a possibility of cost down.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to express our great appreciation for the support of M. Okabe, N. Kunihiro,
K. Edo, and A. Aota in Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. in Kobe.

REFERENCES

(1) Matsumura, S., Umezawa, K. & Houjoh, H. (1996) JSME International Journal. Series
C., Vol. 39, No. 3, 614-620.
(2) Shoda, K., Matsumoto, S., Furukawa, T., Tozaki, Y., Sakaguchi, K., & Yoshida, T.
(2006) Transaction of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers. Series C., Vol. 72,
No. 717, 1446-1453.

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