[MEC8042]

NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY
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SEMESTER 2, 2016-2017
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DESIGN OF MECHANICAL POWER

TRANSMISSIONS
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MEC8042
Time allowed - 3 hours
Attempt Question 1, Question 2
and TWO other questions from Questions 3-5.
This examination represents 70% of the MEC8042 module.
An A3 coloured drawing and A3 Blank Table are available for Q5.
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Of the examination marks, Questions 1 and 2 and each carry 30% and the other
questions 20% each.
Electronic devices are not permitted (except authorised language aids and
permitted calculators).

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 [MEC8042]

General Formulae
Bending of beams (small deflection)

Second moment of area of

rectangular bar / tube about the neutral plane

Second moment of area of

circular shaft / tube about the neutral plane

Torsion of circular sections

Polar second moment of area

for circular / tubes about axis

Rolling Element Bearings

dynamic load rating

Rolling Element Bearings

static load rating
 [MEC8042]
Gear Formulae (ISO symbols used throughout)

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 [MEC8042]
Q1. An owner of a very old, manually operated, 2 wheel tractor wishes to add
an extension chassis and platform to his 2 wheel tractor to form a vehicle
to carry large and heavy loads on his small mountain farm, as shown in
Figure 1.

Figure 1.
The specification for the tractor unit includes:-
- Diesel Engine
- power (at maximum speed): 10hp (7.5kW),
- no useful power below 700rpm(rev/min),
- (approx.) constant torque above 700rpm,
- maximum speed of 2100rpm.
- Tractor Unit Wheels (both driven):
- 2, pneumatic tyres, both 0.5m diameter, tractor-type tyres
- minimum coefficient of friction 0.2 (on slippery ground)
- maximum coefficient of friction 0.75 (on good soil)
- Tractor Axles & Vertical Axle Loads:
- front axle (driven) 200kg with no load on rear
200kg with load on rear
- rear axle (not driven) 100kg with no load
1100kg with maximum load
- the tractor drive includes bevel gear differential: ratio 3.2 : 1
- assume complete gearbox and differential efficiency of 92%.
Estimated Rolling Resistance of vehicle:-
on level (good) road 0.02 M g
on level good soil 0.05 M g
where:- M is mass of vehicle (kg), g = 9.81m/s2
 [MEC8042]
1(a) If the vehicle is not loaded and is driving on a good level road, how
fast could it go?
Carefully state assumptions. [3 marks]
1(b) When fully loaded and on good soil, what is steepest gradient the
vehicle can climb?
(Assume constant loads on wheels due to very low centre of gravity
so no “weight transfer”.)
Carefully state assumptions. [3 marks]
1(c) How fast can the loaded vehicle in 1(b) climb a 1 in 20 hill on good
soil?
Carefully state assumptions. [3 marks]
1(d) Assuming a conventional automotive drive system of engine -
gearbox - differential - axle and carefully stating assumptions, what
gearbox ratio do you suggest to allow the vehicle to run at
approximately 40mph? Explain your answer. [4 marks]
1(e) Select suitable intermediate gear ratios to enable the vehicle to drive
(with no time limit) at any speed from 2mph to approximately
40mph. Comment on the ratios selected.
[5 marks]
1(f) For the vehicle in 1(e), propose TWO drive systems that are
fundamentally different from the conventional automotive drive
system.
The drive systems proposed must function correctly, be practical,
need little maintenance and must be reasonably economical.
Your answer should include a block diagram to explain the system
and notes on its advantages/disadvantages. [6+6 marks]

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 [MEC8042]
Q2. Answer 6 of the 10 parts of Question 2, 2(a) to 2(j).
Make your answers brief and to the point.
Use bulleted lists and diagrams wherever possible.
2(a) The ISO 6336 gear stress analysis standard includes 'K' factors to
modify the nominal load to improve the accuracy of calculating
contact and bending stress.
(i) Explain the purpose of the kHâ load modification factor and 2
things that affect its value. [3 marks]
(ii) Make a sketch that illustrates clearly a kHâ of 2.5.
[2 marks]

2(b) The results from an ISO 6336 fatigue stress analysis for a pinion
only, are summarised in Table 1. The minimum safety factors are
also specified.

Table 1.
Contact Stress Safety Factor Bending Stress Safety Factor
SH1 SF1
1.35 2.35
minimum value SH = 1.00 minimum value SF = 1.4

(i) Estimate the increase in the torque possible for a contact

fatigue safety factor of 1.00.
Show your calculation method. [2 marks]
(ii) Estimate the predicted bending stress safety factor for the
increased torque calculated in part (i).
Show your calculation method. [1 mark]
(iii) What is the most likely fatigue failure mode predicted by this
analysis and briefly explain why it is the most likely?
[2 marks]
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2(c) Gear losses and lubrication. Gears are very efficient methods of
converting torque and speed in gearboxes but they are not 100%
efficient.
(i) Estimate the total losses of a 3 stage reduction helical
gearbox transmitting 7.5kW.
Show your working. [2 marks]
(ii) State three principle causes of power loss in gears (ignoring
seal and bearing losses) and provide 1 method of minimising
the loss for each case. [3 marks]

2(d) Helix measurement result analysis.

(i) Make a clear, labelled sketch of a typical helix deviation plot
without crowning from a gear measuring machine.
Show the face width, plus metal deviation direction, units for
each axis, the evaluation range and the 3 parameters
evaluated for an ISO 1328-1 analysis.
Use ISO symbols or clearly state the evaluated parameters
and their meaning. [4 marks]
(ii) Which helix parameter is used to estimate gear misalignment,
as part of an ISO 6336 fatigue stress analysis.
[1 mark]
2(e) Table 2. shows a gear geometry specification.
Calculate each of the following values and explain what they mean.
(i) Reference diameter. [1 mark]
(ii) V-circle diameter. [1 mark]
(iii) Base diameter. [3 marks]

Table 2.
Parameter Value
Tooth Number 19
Normal Module 3.0mm
Normal Pressure Angle 20E
Helix angle 15E
Rack shift coefficient 0.4
Face width 20mm

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 [MEC8042]
2(f) ISO 6336 variable torque and speed over life.
Torques and speed vary over time and ISO 6336 has a number of
ways of estimating the cumulative fatigue damage this causes gears.
(i) Define the term application factor (ka) and explain why it is
used.
Make a clear sketch with ka = 1.3 to illustrate your answer.
What are the benefits and limitations this method?
[3 marks]
(ii) The equivalent torque (Teq) calculation to account
applications with varying torque is shown below:

In the Teq formula above, p = 6.61 is used for contact stress

equivalent torque calculation for case carburised steel.
If you performed a similar calculation for equivalent contact
stress óeq (instead of Teq), what index value (p) would you use
and why? [2 marks]

2(g) Micro geometry corrections are commonly applied to gears.

(i) Make a clear sketch of a gear profile measurement result that
illustrates 25ìm of tip relief applied to a spur gear.
Show the extent of relief and the amount of relief, tip and root
positions on your sketch. [2 marks]
(ii) Briefly describe why tip relief is used, types of tip relief and
how it improves gear performance. [3 marks]
 [MEC8042]
2(h) Gears can fail as a result of insufficient material strength leading to
fatigue failure.
(i) Explain briefly what fatigue is. [1 mark]
(ii) List two fatigue related gear failure modes and provide a brief
description of the appearance of each. [2 marks]
(iii) For each of the failure modes you gave in part (ii), give two
methods you could use to make this failure mode less likely.
[2 marks]

2(i) Gears are normally surface hardened to give enhanced performance.

(i) Choose two of the commonly used methods for surface
hardening a gear and describe the heat treatment cycle
including the atmosphere, typical temperatures and
heating/cooling rates. [4 marks]
(ii) What surface hardness level (Hv) would you expect to
measure on a typical carburised gear and how would you
measure this? [1 mark]

2(j) Gear grinding is used to improve gear dimensional accuracy.

(i) Explain why, if carried out incorrectly, grinding can lead to
reduced material properties. Describe the property change
you would expect and the failure mode this would encourage.
[3 marks]
(ii) Grinding gives a good surface finish. Name and briefly
describe the principle of a method that can be used to further
improve surface finish after grinding. How would you
measure the resulting surface finish? [2 marks]

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 [MEC8042]
Q3. The drive system for a 4 wheel drive, hedge cutting machine is being
planned. In addition to driving the four wheels, the main diesel engine
needs to drive the hedge cutter and provide power to adjust the position of
each of the three sections of the hedge cutter support arm.
Whilst the hedge cutter needs to run almost continuously, the whole
machine needs to be capable of moving slowly for long periods, reversing
frequently, climbing muddy slopes without problem and running at up to
25mph (40km/h) on normal (straight and curved) roads.
3(a) Design a suitable circuit to drive all four wheels hydraulically from
a single diesel engine, taking into account the ground conditions
likely to be encountered. (For this part of the question, all the other
functions of the machine may be ignored.)
The answer should be given as an annotated circuit diagram, using
the standard ISO symbols and with brief notes to explain the
purpose of each component. [6 marks]
3(b) The hedge cutter is to be driven hydraulically and needs to rotate at
approximately 3000rpm, requiring 30hp (22.5kW) at this speed.
(i) If the system pressure is 200bar, estimate the flow rate of
fluid to the hedge cutter motor in litres / minute. [2 marks]
(ii) Estimate the minimum (internal) size of pipe to and from the
motor, stating your assumptions. [2 marks]
(iii) Estimate the “size” of the motor (cm3/rev). [2 marks]
3(c) The hedge cutter support arm is to have each of its three joints
moved by a double acting hydraulic ram. Design a suitable
hydraulic circuit to allow the driver to move all three rams
controllably, and ideally, simultaneously.
The answer should be given as an annotated circuit diagram, using
the standard ISO symbols and with brief notes to explain the
purpose of each component. [6 marks]
3(d) The machine design team has to decide how best to integrate the
wheel drive, hedge cutter drive and hedge cutter support arm
positioning hydraulic systems to allow them to be driven from a
single diesel engine.
What advice or suggestions would you give them. Give your
answers using diagrams. [2 marks]
 [MEC8042]
Q4. The owner of the 2 wheel tractor with an extension chassis and platform
(see Q1 and Figures 1&2 for details) really wants his vehicle to carry
heavier loads up and down steeper hills in all sorts of weather conditions.
He learns
about modern 4
wheel drive
systems and
wants you to
design a new
4WD system
that will work Figure 2.
really well for him.
His new 4WD vehicle will need to:-
- carry the farm loads up and down very steep, slippery
and sharply curving tracks,
- to start moving (easily) up very steep hills without rolling back,
- be able to drive at high speed on good roads,
- ideally never require any maintenance.
It must be able to do all this safely in all weather conditions including dry,
wet and icy / snowy.
Using your knowledge of modern all wheel drive systems, design a drive
system to maximise the performance of the vehicle whilst meeting all the
requirements.
In order to keep the efficiency high, the drive systems proposed must not
transmit power for traction either electrically or hydraulically.
The drive system proposed must function correctly, be practical, need
minium maintenance and must be reasonably economical.
Your answer should include:-
4(a) A block diagram of the proposed system
(using the same symbols as used in the course notes).
[8 marks]
4(b) Notes explaining the purpose of each component / feature included.
It may be appropriate to explain why you have not used some
components / features. [8 marks]
4(c) Notes on the advantages & disadvantages and on any improvements
that could be made to it. [4 marks]

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 [MEC8042]
Q5. A Slip-On Gearbox is shown in Figure 3. (and on an A3 size sheet).
Name / describe each lettered and each numbered feature and explain its
purpose.
Please use diagrams to explain the purpose wherever possible.
(each letter may refer to more than one component)
The answer is to be given in the format of a table with three columns and
in order of items 1 to 6, then A to Z.
Please write your answers on the A3 size Blank Table provided.

Item Name or (explanation of ) Purpose of Item

Number Description of
/Letter Item

[20 marks for 32 correct

descriptions & explanations]

Figure 3.

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