Synthesis & Analysis of

Planetary Gear Trains

Marina Baldissera de Souza, M. Eng. November 2020

Laboratory of Applied Robotics

LOGO
 Contents

1. Introduction
2. Synthesis of Planetary Gear Trains
i. Structural Characteristics
ii. Buchsbaum-Freudenstein Method
iii. LAR Works
3. Analysis of Planetary Gear Trains
i. Efficiency determination using Davies’ method
ii. LAR Works
4. References

2
 Introduction

 Gear trains are used in motion and/or

power transmission from one rotating shaft
to another;

 Applications: automotive transmissions,

robotic manipulators, etc.

 Planetary Gear Trains (PGT) or Epicyclic

Gear Trains (EGT): gears not only rotate
about their own joint axes, but also revolve
around some other gears.
Automatic transmission Simpson
2 PGT / 1 DOF / 3 gears

3
 Introduction
Sun gear
Ring gear

 Sun gear:
 Rotation about a central stationary axis;
 External gear;
 Ring gear:
 Rotation about a central stationary axis;
 Internal gear;
 Planet gears:
 Joint axes revolve about the central axis;
 Carrier or arm:
 Each meshing gear pair has a supporting link;
 Keeps the center distance between two meshing
gears constant. Carrier Planet gear

4
SYNTHESIS OF PLANETARY GEAR
TRAINS

5
Constraints and Representation

 Constraints:
1. All links of a PGT are capable of unlimited
rotation  only revolute joints and gear pairs;
2. For each gear pair, there exists a carrier, which
keeps the center distance between the two
meshing gears constant;

 Graph representation:
R R  Thin edge: revolute joint  R edge;
 Thick edge: gear pair  G edge.

6
 Mobility Equation

 Total number of joints j (jt = number of revolute joints; jg = number of gear pairs):

𝑗 = 𝑗𝑡 + 𝑗𝑔 (1)

 Sum of DOF fi of all joints:

𝑗

𝑓𝑖 = 𝑗𝑡 + 2𝑗𝑔 (2)
𝑖=1

 Mobility equation F (n = number of links; 𝜆 = order of the screw system):

𝑗

𝐹 = 𝜆. 𝑛 − 𝑗 − 1 + 𝑓𝑖 (3)
𝑖=1
 Replacing ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) in ( 3 ) and considering 𝜆 = 3 (planar):

𝐹 = 3. 𝑛 − 1 − 2𝑗𝑡 − 𝑗𝑔 (4)

7
 Theorems
 Constraints:
1. All links of a PGT are capable of unlimited rotation  only revolute joints and gear pairs;
2. For each gear pair, there exists a carrier, which keeps the center distance between the two
meshing gears constant;

 1st constraint  no circuit should be composed only of R edges (rotation limitation);

 2nd constraint  all vertices should have at least one incident R edge.

Theorem 1
 The removal of all G edges of the graph generates a tree.

8
 Theorems
 A tree with n vertices contains n -1 edges, so:
𝑗𝑡 = 𝑛 − 1 (5)

 R edges are branches and G edges are chords. The addition of a chord in a spanning tree generates
an independent loop. So:
𝑗𝑔 = 𝐿 (6)
Where L = number of independent loops of the graph.
 Through Euler’s equation:
𝐿 = 𝑛 − 1 − 𝐹 = 𝑗𝑡 − 𝐹 (7)

Theorem 2
 The number of revolute pairs is equal to the number of links diminished by 1 (5);
 The number of gear pairs is equal to the number of independent loops (6);
 The number of DOF is equal t the difference between 𝑗𝑡 and 𝑗𝑔 (7).

9
 Theorems

 A PGT graph should not contain any loop composed exclusively of gear pairs  mobility
depends on dimensions;
 In this case, the number of gear pairs composing the loop should be even.

 Ex.: differential  gears 3, 4, 5 and 6 close a loop;

 In order to the mechanism works:
 dp3 = dp5 and dp4 = dp6;

 Gear 4 or 6 is redundant.

Differential: 2 DOF

10
 Fundamental Circuit
Fundamental Circuit
R R
 Theorem 1: tree  removal of all G edges;
 Adding a G edge to the tree  fundamental circuit G R R
(F circuit);
R G G G
 Each F circuit is composed of one G edge and
multiple R edges. Graph

SIMPSON

R R
R
R G
R
R R
Functional
Tree Fundamental circuit
representation

11
 Levels

b
Levels and Terminal Edges
 Each R joint axis of an F circuit is associated to
distinct lines in space; a
 One line passes through the 1st gear axis and
another one through the 2nd gear axis;
 Each R edge is labeled by a letter  level;
 Each level represents a R joint axis in space;
 Terminal edges: R edges adjacent to the G edge
of an F circuit.

R
G

12
 Transfer Vertex
Theorem 4
 There are only two levels between two terminal edges in an F circuit;
 In an F circuit, there is only one vertex, called Transfer Vertex, such that:
 All R edges lying on one side of the transfer vertex share the same level;
 R edges lying on the opposite side share a different level.

1
F Circuit 1 F Circuit 3

F Circuit 4
1
F Circuit 2

13
 Transfer Vertex
 Tranfer vertex  G pair carrier;
 One vertex may serve as transfer vertex for more than one F circuit;
 Any vertex having only two incident R edges should serve as the transfer vertex of an F
circuit;
 Graph containing multiple R edges on the same level  coaxial links.

a
R
G

14
Buchsbaum-Freudenstein Method

15
Buchsbaum-Freudenstein Method

𝑴 = 𝟏, 𝝀 = 𝟑

16
Buchsbaum-Freudenstein Method

17
Buchsbaum-Freudenstein Method

18
Buchsbaum-Freudenstein Method

19
Buchsbaum-Freudenstein Method

20
 LAR Works Regarding Synthesis
 SOUZA, Marina Baldissera de; VIEIRA, Rodrigo de Souza; MARTINS, Daniel. Enumeration of
kinematic chains with zero variety for epicyclic gear trains with one and two degrees of freedom.
In: International Symposium on Multibody Systems and Mechatronics. Springer, Cham, 2017. p.
15-24.

 SOUZA, Marina Baldissera de; VIEIRA, Rodrigo De Souza; MARTINS, Daniel. Synthesis of epicyclic
gear trains with one and two degrees of freedom from kinematic chains belonging to minimal
sets. International Journal of Mechanisms and Robotic Systems, v. 4, n. 4, p. 383-400, 2018.

 Souza, Marina Baldissera de; Silveira Lima, Virgílio ; Vieira, Rodrigo de Souza ; Martins, Daniel .
Dimensional Synthesis Of Complex Gear Trains For Rapid Prototyping With 3D Printing. In: 25th
International Congress of Mechanical Engineering, 2019. Proceedings of the 25th International
Congress of Mechanical Engineering.

 MORLIN, Fernando V. et al. Degeneracy Detection in Epicyclic Gear Trains Using a Matroid-Based
Algorithm. In: International Symposium on Multibody Systems and Mechatronics. Springer, Cham,
2020. p. 11-18.

21
Generation of Graphs Given M and λ

Graph G
𝑴 = 𝟏, 𝝂 = 𝟒, 𝝀 = 𝟐

Non-planar graph

22
Type Synthesis: Revolute Pairs and Gear Pairs
Non-isomorphic spanning trees
𝑻𝟏 𝑻𝟐
Graph G
𝑒1
𝑒1 𝑒4
1 4 𝑒3 𝑒3
𝑒4
𝑒0 𝑒4 𝑒3 𝑒5 𝑒5
2 𝑒2 𝑒7
𝑒7 𝑒6 𝑒6
3 𝑒5 𝑻𝟑
𝑒1
𝑒8 0 𝑒4
5 𝑒6 𝑒3

𝑒7
𝑒6
23
 Assignment of Edge Levels

Fundamental circuits of G

𝑻𝟐
𝑒1

𝑒3
𝑒4
𝑒5
𝑒6

24
Functional Schematics

25
Prototype: 3D Printer

26
ANALYSIS OF PLANETARY GEAR
TRAINS

27
 PGT Efficiency Calculation through Davies’ Method

 Power flow analysis;

 First generic method:
 No limitation such as axes position or need of
input/output collinearity;
 Inclusion of losses due to bearings and
gearing;
 Complex friction models; Bevel gear train
 Efficiency analytic expression as function of
dimensions and input/output;
 Easy automatization.

Graph

28
 Davies’ Method

 Adaptation of Kirchhoff’ Laws for a network of links and couplings;

 Based on graph and screw theories;
 Mechanisms are represented by graphs:
 Links  vertices;
 Couplings  edges.

Four-bar mechanism and coupling graph

29 06/04/2018
 Davies’ Method
 Screw: geometric element that can represent mechanical quantities.

MOTION ANALYSIS ACTION ANALYSIS

Twist Wrench

𝑟 𝑅
𝜔 𝑠 Angular
𝑆0 × 𝐹 + ℎ𝐹 𝑆
Velocity 𝜔 Torque 𝑀0
$𝑚 = = 𝑡 𝑇
𝑢 $𝑎 = =
Linear 𝑈
𝑆0 × 𝜔 + ℎ𝜔 𝑣 Force 𝐹
Velocity 𝑣0
𝐹 𝑉
𝑤
𝑊
Radial order Axial order

Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law Kirchhoff’s Current Law

𝑀𝑁 𝜆.𝜈×𝐹
𝜓 𝐹×1
= 0 𝜆.𝜈×1
𝐴𝑁 𝜆.𝜅×𝐶
𝛹 𝐶×1
= 0 𝜆.𝜅×1

30 06/04/2018
 Power and Power Flow in PGT
 Power flows either into or out of the network through couplings  Couplings are the
network inputs/outputs;
 Ideal gear trains: power leaves exclusively through outputs to which loads are
connected;
 Real cases: losses lead to power leaves through couplings not connected to external
loads.

OUTPUT
INPUT

FRICTION
LOSSES

31
 Power Flow Concepts
Definition 1: Transferable Power or Power
 Amount of power that enters or leaves the network through a coupling;
 Calculated through the inner product between wrench and twist:

Definition 2: Power Flow

 Amount of power transferred from one link to another across a coupling, without
leaving the network;
 Measured by an observer that moves along with the reference frame.

 Actions are independent of the reference frame, motions are not.

32
 Power Flow Concepts
 External power sources and sinks are connected to the
network through ports, called input and output;

Definition 3: Real Power Flow

 Power flow measured by an observer that moves along
with the reference frame;
 Reference frame attached to a link common to the input
and output ports;
 Input and output edges are both incident to the vertex to C
1 2
which the reference frame is attached;
 Relevant for transmission systems.
A B
0

33
 Power Flow Concepts
Definition 4: Virtual Power Flow
 Power flow measured with respect to a frame not attached to a link common to the input
and output;
 Power that appears to be transferred through the network, without real connotation
 Computation of power losses based on ordinary efficiencies (efficiency of a single gear
pair);
 Used to determine the power flow direction of each gear pair  driver/driven role.

Definition 5: Global Efficiency

 Ratio between output power and input power:

𝒫𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝜂=
𝒫𝑖𝑛

34
 Virtual Power Flow Computation

 Two main steps:

1. Conversion of the Motion Matrix M  Absolute Motion Matrix Mi
2. Inner product between each twist of Mi and the respective wrench of the
Action Matrix A.

𝑀 = 𝑀𝐷 ∙ diag(ψ)

𝑀 𝑑×𝑒 = $1𝑚 $𝑚
2 $𝑚
3 … $𝑚
𝑒

 Each twist of M describes the relative motion between two links directly
connected.

35
 1. Conversion M  MI

 Absolute Motions mean that all motions are computed with respect to one particular link i
(reference);
 Each column of Mi contains a twist that describes the motions of the respective link in
respect to the reference link i.

Reduced incidence
Ai Moore-Penrose matrix
pseudoinverse

36
 1. Conversion M  MI
 Ai: reduced incidence matrix of GC;
 Removal of the row corresponding to the reference link i  for gear trains: CARRIER.

a b c d
1 0 0 1 0
2  1 1 0 0 
GC : I 44   1
b c  0 1 1 0  2
 
 0 0  1  1 3
1 3

a d
0

37
 1. Conversion M  MI
 Ai: reduced incidence matrix of GC;
 Removal of the row corresponding to the reference link i  for gear trains: CARRIER.

a b c d
1 0 0 1 0
2  1 1 0 0 
GC : I 44   1
b c  0 1 1 0  2
 
 0 0  1  1 3
1 3

a b c d
a d
0  1 1 0 0  1
Ai 34   0  1 1 0  2
0 0  1  1 3
38
 𝑚𝑖
2. Inner Product $𝑒 ∙ $𝑎𝑒

 Inner product between each column of Mi and respective column of the

Action Matrix A;
 𝒫 > 0  power flows across the SAME direction of the edge;
 𝒫 < 0  power flows across the OPPOSITE direction of the edge;
 Depending on the reference link i, these steps render the virtual or the real
power flow.

𝒫>0 2 𝒫<0
b c

1 3

a d
0

39
Friction Torque in Cylindrical and Bevel Gears
 Losses related to gear meshing  teeth shape, misaligned shafts, lubrication, etc.
 Effect: torque aligned with the rotation axis around which one gear twists with respect to
the other gear  friction torque;

Theorem
 If the shaft axes of a gear pair intersect (bevel gears) or are parallel (cylindrical gears), the
equivalent friction action is a PURE TORQUE, i.e., an infinite pitch action screw.

40
 Friction Models

 $𝑎𝐿 𝑖 : generic wrench with h  ∞, representing the friction torque in coupling i, with the
same direction of $𝑚 𝑖 :

 𝑝𝑖 : angular velocity of coupling i;

 : wrench magnitude  defined by the chosen friction model;
 It can be used for bearing or gear couplings losses.

41
 Friction Models

 / : action/speed magnitude of
coupling i;
 : friction coefficient in unit of length 
speed independent losses;
 : viscous friction coefficient;
 : general function.

42
 Application: Simple Gear Train

 Three links:
 0: fixed link;
 1 and 2: cylindrical gears;
 Three couplings:
 A and B: bearings  revolute coupling;
 C: tooth contact;
 One gear connected to a torque source
(e.g., motor) and another to a torque sink.

43
Simplifying Assumptions and Screw System

1. Negligible axial length all forces lie in the plane z = 0;

2. Thin spur gears tooth contacts at points on the y-
axis.
3. Pressure angle 𝛼 = 0.
$𝑚
𝐵

 Actions  screw-sytem d = 2:
 Forces parallel to the x-axis;
$𝑚
𝐶  Torques parallel to z-axis;
 Motions  screw-sytem d = 2:

x  Angular velocities about axes parallel to the z-axis in the
$𝑚
𝐴 plane x = 0.

44
 Motion Analysis

GC  GM
 Coupling C: fC = 1  angular velocity with
C direction axis at C and parallel to z-axis;
1 2  Angular speed magnitude: tA, tB e tC;
Twists pitch: ℎ𝐴 = ℎ𝐵 = ℎ𝐶 = 0
A B
System with 1 DOF: 𝐹𝑁 = 1
0

 Primary variable: tA;

 𝑀 = 𝑀𝐷 ∙ diag(ψ):

45
 Action Analysis
GA (without external torques)
𝑈𝐶
1 2
 Couplings A, B and C constraint: parallel
forces to the x-axis  UA, UB and UC;
𝑈𝐴 𝑈𝐵
 TA and TB: external torques (source and
sink); 0
 TC: friction losses. GA (internalized external torques)
𝑇𝐶

1 2
𝑈𝐶
Gross degree of constraint
C=6 𝑈𝐴 𝑈𝐵
𝑇𝐴 𝑇𝐵
0

46
 Action Analysis
Network Unit Action Matrix

𝐴𝑁 𝑑.𝑘×𝐶
= 𝐴𝑁 2.2×6
= 𝐴𝑁  4 equations
C = 6 unknowns;

 Addition of constitutive equations  friction models;

 Coulomb: Friction coefficient in unit of length 
UC converted into TC.

47
 Action Analysis
Augmented Action Matrix

𝐴𝑁 𝜆.𝜅×𝐶
𝛹 𝐶×1
= 0 𝜆.𝜅×1

ÂN  DA

48
 Action Analysis
 Vetor Ψ proportional to Null (DA)  primary variable is the proportionality constant: TA;
 Action Matrix:

 Adding together the columns related to the same coupling:

49
 Power and Efficiency

Using:

 We can calculate:
 Power that enters or leaves the network;
 Power transmitted into the network through each coupling;
 Efficiency.

50
 Power and Efficiency

 Power that enter or leaves through coupling A:

 If TA and tA have the same sign (𝒫A > 0)  INPUT

 If TA and tA have opposite signs (𝒫A < 0)  OUTPUT

 Couplings B and C:

 Independently of the sign of TA and tA :

 And: , since
 Energy always leaves through coupling C  friction losses.

51
 Power and Efficiency

 Power transferred from gear 1 to gear 2, in addition to the power lost in the process:

 Power transferred from gear 2 to gear 1, in addition to the power lost in the process:

 Ordinary efficiency of a gear coupling depends on the power flow direction:

Power received by the DRIVEN gear

𝜂=
Power transferred by the DRIVER gear

52
 Power and Efficiency

Driver: gear 1/ Driven: gear 2

TA and tA have the SAME sign;
 Coupling A: input (𝒫A > 0);
 Coupling B: output (𝒫B < 0).

Driver: gear 2/ Driven: gear 1

TA and tA have OPPOSITE signs;
 Coupling B: input (𝒫B > 0);
 Coupling A: output (𝒫A < 0).

 𝜂12 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝜂21 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑦 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡

53
 LAR Works Regarding PGT Efficiency

 LAUS, L. P.; SIMAS, H.; MARTINS, D. Efficiency of gear trains determined using graph and screw
theories. Mechanism and Machine Theory, v. 52, p. 296-325, 2012.

 SOUZA, Marina Baldissera de et al. Mechanical efficiency determination of a Dedicated Hybrid

Transmission using graph and screw theories: a case study. In: 24th ABCM International
Congress of Mechanical Engineering, 2017, Curitiba. Proceedings of the 24th ABCM
International Congress of Mechanical Engineering, 2017.

 SOUZA, Marina Baldissera de et al. Dimensional Synthesis of a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission

Through Efficiency Optimization of Gear Trains. In: IFToMM World Congress on Mechanism
and Machine Science. Springer, Cham, 2019. p. 1101-1110.

 LAUS, L. P.; SIMAS, H.; MARTINS, D. Machine efficiency determined using graph and screw
theories with application in robotics. Mechanism and Machine Theory, v. 148, p. 103748, 2020.

54
 LAR Works Regarding PGT Efficiency

AVL Future Hybrid 7 Mode

Ngo and Yan (2016)

55
 References
 TSAI, L. W. Mechanism design : enumeration of kinematic structures according to function. Boca Raton: CRC Press LLC,
2001. p. 155-224.

 BUCHSBAUM, F.; FREUDENSTEIN, F. Synthesis of kinematic structure of geared kinematic chains and other
mechanisms. Journal of Mechanisms, Londres, v. 5, n. 3, p. 357-392, 1970.

 SOUZA, Marina Baldissera de; VIEIRA, Rodrigo De Souza; MARTINS, Daniel. Synthesis of epicyclic gear trains with one
and two degrees of freedom from kinematic chains belonging to minimal sets. International Journal of Mechanisms and
Robotic Systems, v. 4, n. 4, p. 383-400, 2018.

 Souza, Marina Baldissera de; Silveira Lima, Virgílio ; Vieira, Rodrigo de Souza ; Martins, Daniel . Dimensional Synthesis
Of Complex Gear Trains For Rapid Prototyping With 3D Printing. In: 25th International Congress of Mechanical
Engineering, 2019. Proceedings of the 25th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering.

 LAUS, L.P. Determinação da eficiência de máquinas com base em teoria de helicoides e grafos: aplicação em trens de
engrenagens e robôs paralelos. 2011. 197 f. Tese (Doutorado em Engenharia Mecânica) – Programa de Pós-Graduação
em Engenharia Mecânica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis. 2011.

 LAUS, L. P.; SIMAS, H.; MARTINS, D. Efficiency of gear trains determined using graph and screw theories. Mechanism
and Machine Theory, v. 52, p. 296-325, 2012.

56
 THANK YOU!
Marina Baldissera de Souza, M. Eng.
marina.bs@posgrad.ufsc.br

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