ZF Confidential

Greener

The Greener Team

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Greener
• Project goal
• Design challenges
• Design solution
• Design optimization approach
• Calculation model
• Validation strategy
• Comparing measurement result to calculations
• Lessons learned

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 ZF Confidential
Greener goal Greener = GeaRbox powEr dENsity and Efficiency pRoject
= Technology project in close cooperation with Vestas

Torque Density Increase → +40%

Demonstrator based on EH804 MK7 to solve main uncertainties

Multi planets gear solution in a planetary stage → 7

Main challenge increase in flexibility

Software model verification on system level of Khb and Kγ

The goal is to setup a calculation approach that predicts the KHb and the Kg of a multi planet planetary stage over the complete load spectrum
of the gearbox.
All system effects that can have a mayor impact on the results need to be considered to enable a good correlation between measurement data
and calculations.
The modeling accuracy should aim to be 95% accurate with a straight forward approach.
This enables
• ZF to remove regrind loops out of the regular NPI project plans leading to shorter development times an increased profitability
• System optimizations in closed loop calculations
• A digital twin predicting the structural mechanical behavior of the gearbox

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Design challenges

• Minimize KHb share per planet over a broad torque range • Torque density increase → +40%

• Torsional stiffness of the planet carrier

• Minimize Kg • Design a plain bearing solution for a flexible environment

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Design solution
GEAR Design Gear mesh
•Planet carrier stiffness •Macro Geometry
•Type and postion of the •Helix angle (4.85°)
torque arm •Pressure angle
•Planet Rim thickness •b0.57; 1.53
•Planet width (b/d0.6) •Modification
•Planet pin fit (loose) •Non factorized

Plain Bearings
Loads
•Type
•Torque •Macro geometry
•Lateral forces •Wall thickness 11mm
•Axial rotor thrust •Modifications
•Nacelle-, rotor interfaces •Clearance 3.5‰ <-> 5‰
•NPI reference [0.9 1.8] ‰
•Clearance 0.8mm <-> 1.2mm
•Oil supply pocket

?
?
?

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New design optimization approach

Modification and gap

plain bearing

Pressure field
plain bearing Check

Optmization

2nd DOE ->

Detailed analyses
1rst DOE -> with reduced
Screening number of factors

Definiton of
Parameters
Definition of
Objectives
Nummerical
Model

end relieve and helix

Load distribution
modification gear
Tooth contact
mesh

Experience driven design optimization → Numeric Empiric Statistical Design optimization

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Greener calculation model

Multi body model combined together with

spring elements (linear and non linear)

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Validation strategy
Component test

Full functional load test

1A = “small” clearance, 3.5‰
1B = “big” clearance, 5‰ No load test
3 = extreme test on mispositioning of 1 planet

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Clarification on different test slots
• FFLT1A = Full Functional Load Test 1A

• The installed bearing clearance on the planetary stage is referred to as SMALL

• Bearing clearance range [3.096; 3.175]‰
• In a flexible environment this clearance is close to the experience in a rigid environment due to the wrapping of the
planet around the planet shaft

• FFLT1B = Full Functional Load Test 1B

• The installed bearing clearance on the planetary stage is referred to as BIG

• Bearing clearance range [4.855; 4.938]‰
• Design aim for this clearance was to create a flex planet solution to improve load distribution of the gears

• FFLT3 = Full Functional Load Test 3

• This test was intended to force a worst case load share factor over the different planets (Kγ)
• Bearing clearance range [4.855; 4.943]‰ except on planet 6 there a clearance of 3.153‰
• This leads to a center shift of -0.215mm

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Comparing measurements with FEA calculations

• On the next slide a comparison is made for the

gear load distribution on the ring gear and the
sun gear of FFLT1A and FFLT1B
• The measurements in the graph show the results
of the strain gauges which are glued in the gap
center of the gear teeth
SG SG SG SG SG SG SG SG
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Position
5% 10% 30% 50% 70% 90% 95%
(RS→ GS)

• The calculated values are the result of an

idealized tooth contact of cyclo symmetric FEA
model

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Measurements vs calculations
Cyclo symmetric model FFLT1A and FFLT1B

FFLT1A
Small clearance

FFLT1B
Big clearance

The change in load distribution due to the

bearing clearance change is quite good
predicted by the model © ZF Friedrichshafen AG 11
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Validation of load distribution simulation models
Kg.Kv : KGC:
- Kg.Kv are far below the targeted value (1,16) - A good gear mesh alignment is reached for both test
- No need for additional investigation on flex pin due to the setups.
flex planet - Only minor improvements on KGC at 100% load
- The planet is now acting as the flexible element - No need for a regrind
- The bearing with a bigger clearance in FFLT1B results in - No increase in KGC observed above 100% load → planet /
a more flexible support and a better Kg.Kv as intended bearing flexibility

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FFLT3 – average analysis FFLT1B FFLT3
load sharing – Kgamma*Kv
Ring gear Sun gear

During FFLT3 Kgamma*Kv values >1,4 are measured

The Kgamma*Kv factor of FFLT 3 is much higher compared to FFLT1B
→ conclusion: selective assembly has a signification impact on the load sharing per planet

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FFLT3– per planet
Ring gear – strain levels

6
2 3
4 1
5 7

Planet 6 is more loaded compared to the other planets.

Planet 6 is the planet where deliberately a smaller clearance was installed to force a worst case Kgamma*Kv
The system reacts to this in pairs:
- Both nearby planets are the lowest loaded
- The 2 planets located most far away from planet 6 are the second highest loaded
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Load distribution over the circumference

- In previous slides we saw that there was a good correlation

between measurements and the average load distribution.

- As a next step also a prediction on local level was aimed for

Circumferential angle
- In the shown graph on the right we see an example of a load
distribution over the circumference of a sun and a ring wheel

- On this graph some “hard” points can be noticed

►What is the origin of the observed effects?

To identify a list of contributors a multidiscipline workshop was

done with the following result…

Gear Width Gear Width

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 PG Local deformation ZF Confidential
Major influences on load distribution
Parallel stage
Primary tilt Secondary tilt

Other (39)

RG Local deformation
External alignment
Internal alignment

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Type of system models and their scope
When going for a local LDM prediction the cyclic model needed to be expanded towards a gearbox model
Cyclic –Symmetric
model
Purpose:
• DOE explore design space
• Balance gear and planet
bearing (incl. interactions)
Main inputs:
• Loads
• Rough geometry
• HM & end relief
Main outputs:
(Mean over circumference)
• LD Gear & Planet bearing
• Deformation & movement
ZF Confidential
Planetary Stage GBX model Testbench model
model
Additional purpose: Additional purpose: Additional purpose:
• Sensitivity/Robustness • Interactions TA • Interactions Counter GBX
- Misalignment • Interactions “next stage” • Interactions testbench
- Planet tolerances • GBX RCA
• System RCA
Additional inputs: Additional inputs:
Additional inputs:
• Detailed PC geometry • Detailed GBX geometry
• External loads
• PC/RG/SU Misalignments • RB, Spline, Bushing data
• Detailed DT geometry
(user input)
• Apply gravity Additional outputs:
Additional outputs:
Additional outputs: • Struct. mechanical cross
• Also local effects
• GBX system behaviour influences system level.
• Kgamma
• PC/PAR RB bearing loads. • The GBX behaviour on a
• Stresses (<=refine mesh) testbench environment.
• Reaction forces
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Comparing measurements with FEA calculations (local)
FFLT1A: Impact of the internal alignment on the local LDM
Sun gear Explanation on the graph on the left:

• The center graph gives a visual interpretation of which

planet takes the highest load (≈Kγ)

• The graphs around the center give a load distribution of

the gear over the width at that specific circumferential
position (≈Khβ)

• Grey lines are showing the measured values

• Red lines are showing the result of a straight forward

calculation with boundary conditions resulting in an
incorrect relative alignment of the different components

• Blue lines are showing the calculation results where the

gears and the planet carrier were forced into the position
that corelated with the measurements

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Comparing measurements with FEA calculations (local)
FFLT1A: Impact of the internal alignment on the local LDM
Sun gear Ring gear

The gbx with smaller PB clearance seems to be more sensitive to misalignment

Grey: Measurement Red: Standard simulation Blue: alligned internal components (gears + PC)

The local calculated load distribution with matching internal misalignments is overall quite well predicting the local loading.
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Further improvements to the calculation will continue within Technology after the Greener project
 ZF Confidential
Comparing measurements with FEA calculations (local)
FFLT1B: Impact of the internal alignment on the local LDM
Sun gear Ring gear

Grey: Measurement Red: Standard simulation Blue: alligned internal components (gears + PC)

The local calculated load distribution with matching internal misalignments is overall quite well predicting the© local loading. 20
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Further improvements to the calculation will continue within Technology after the Greener project
 ZF Confidential
Comparing measurements with FEA calculations (local)
FFLT3: Impact of the internal alignment on the local LDM

Strain gauges
damaged

The local calculated load distribution with matching internal misalignments is overall quite well predicting the© local loading. 21
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Further improvements to the calculation will continue within Technology after the Greener project
 ZF Confidential
Comparing measurements with FEA calculations (local)
Conclusions
• The gearbox with smaller plain bearing clearance seems to be more
sensitive to misalignment → less flexibility in the planet

• A dominant player in predicting the local load distribution is ensuring

that the internal alignments are matching real conditions.

• The internal alignment is also influenced by the external alignment.

• The level of influence will depend on different parameters.

• Further improvements to the calculation will continue within Technology

after the Greener project → Test bench model

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Displacement measurement on the test bench

- clear view on the movements of the different Movement of the test rig (Greener and EH804) at 100% load relative to no load
test rig components

- The static reaction point under the TA support

are deforming in vertical direction +/-1mm.
→ The test bench which was considered as
the “fixed world” (cassette and middle bearing)
has proven to be relatively flexible.

- For understanding local phenomena on the ring

gear load distribution, more insight is needed
on the test rig stiffness

- Test bench interfaces need to be measured

with the cassette clamped on the test bench.
(5mm difference with unclamped condition)

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Post processing of displacement measurement on the test bench
Center lines
Conclusions:
- Both GBXs hang down at the parallel stage side
- Greener GBX lifts with increasing load
- The movement/deformation of the cassette needs to be
taken into consideration for measurements when used as
“solid” reference.
- The movement/deformation of the cassette needs to be
taken along when determine the shimming of the TA to
align the GBX center point.
- The test bench shaft bench shaft is not “radially fixed”
- Middle bearings have radial clearance (Counter GBX Side view
side = 0.32mm and Greener GBX side = 0.19 mm).
- Test bench shaft position is dependent from load,
shimming, piston force...
- Changed position affects PC, RW, SU alignment.
- Added layer of complexity to analyses system with
regard to alignment Front view
- → gearboxes interact with each other

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Accurate prediction of local load distribution
Torque arm –ring gear interface Reference condition: 100% load FFLT1B

As demonstrated in previous slides matching

component alignment is dominant but not the only
contributor in the local load distribution

KHß = 1.1164

Reference condition + 40µm fHβ error

Local radial stiffness steps can cause ring gear

creepage with local disturbance of the load
distribution as a consequence

KHß = 1.1872

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Disassembly after FFLT1A

Conclusions:

- Planet shafts with new pocket

design → excellent condition

- Thrust washers with flat land

design → excellent condition RS
- Sleeve with reduced hole density
and increased clearance →
excellent condition

- Planet wheel → excellent condition

GS

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Mayor lessons learned

• Low Kg due to design intend of planet flexibility with • Good prediction of the general structural mechanical
increased bearing clearance behavior with a cyclic symmetric model → first time
right

• No increase in KGC observed above 100% load due to • The local gear load level up is quite well predicted by
flexibility (bearing/planet) the gearbox model

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Mayor lessons learned

• A key element in predicting the local gear load is • Journal bearing design intend was changed and is resulting
having the alignment of the components matching in excellent results
reality, but it’s not the only parameter

• Test bench
• Test bench is not to be considered as rigid
• Gearboxes interact on the testbenches
• Gearbox alignment has a significant influence on local LDM

• Local stiffness discontinuities in the torque arm support

can have a significant impact on the local gear load
distribution

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Q&A

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