Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Faculty Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and

Science
Department: Department of Mechanical and Materials
Engineering
Unit Code and Name UEME3133 Mechanics of Machines
Experiment No.: 1/4
Title of Experiment: Epicyclic Gear Train
Laboratory Room No. and Name: KB730
Experiment Duration (hour) 3 hours
Number of Student per Group 5 students x 3 groups
Number of Student per Session 15
Remark 4 choose 2

Objectives (Optional)
 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.

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.

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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.

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)
planet gear carrier
Figure 1

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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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.

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:

whereN is the number of teeth, ωis 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.

Equipment and Materials

Quantity estimation
Item Description *Item category (e.g. per set/group of
student)
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
E 1 set
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)

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 K = Geared motor
Stop watch W 2 unit
Vernier Caliper W 1 unit

*Item category
SP Sample or specimen
C Consumable
CH Chemical
W Labware, glassware, tool, and
components
E Equipment
S Software

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

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Caution Statement (Optional)
• No body part should touch any rotating object.
• Do not attempt to change any setting of the digital meters.
• Do not impact the load cell.
• Ensure the belt if properly sit on the pulley and tighten to the spring scales.
• Do not run the motor for more than 70rpm
• Stop the apparatus immediately if the gear system does not move when the motor is
running.

Procedure
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 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).

Questions & Report Writing

 Student is required to provide tables to tabulate all the data measure.i.e. Torque, gear
speed, etc.
 Student is required to provide tables to tabulate all the calculated data i.e. power
input, gear speed, torque generated, power generated, power loss, overall efficiency,
speed ratio, etc.
 Discuss the experimental data and result that you obtained.
 Conclude your work and findings for the experiments.

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