S-gear geometry generation and optimisation algorithm based on transient finite element mechanical/contact analyses

Project reference: 2128

S-gears are a specific variant of cylindrical gears with a modified tooth profile geometry that can, in several aspects, provide superior performance to more traditionally used involute or cycloid gears.  This type of gears has in the past been employed both in metal and polymer gear applications.

A successful implementation of such type of gears in engineering applications, however, requires the gear geometry to be generated based on the underlying S-gear rack equation. To achieve this a custom algorithm will have to be developed that will enable the generation of both spur and helical type of 3D gear geometries in a generic CAD format. To achieve an optimal gear drive performance, the S-gear geometry has to be tailored to the specific volumetric limitations and the power transmission requirements of a given case study. Hence, an optimisation procedure, based on transient finite element (FE) mechanical analyses of the gear meshing process, will also have to be developed and implemented using open source and/or commercial FE software inside an available HPC cluster.

Custom developed python code for simple 2D S-ger profile curve generation; ANSYS based FEM analysis benchmark gear meshing case

Project Mentor: Dr. Borut Černe

Project Co-mentor: Dr. Damijan Zorko

Site Co-ordinator: Dr. Pavel Tomšič

Participants: Ceren Tamkoç, Bartu Yaman

Learning Outcomes:
The student will obtain in-depth knowledge in the field of FE based contact mechanics, CAD modelling, gear drive development, and development of parallel processing algorithms

Student Prerequisites (compulsory):
Basic to intermediate knowledge in the fields of CAD modelling and mechanical FEM simulations; basic to intermediate programming knowledge (Python, Fortran and/or C/C++)

Student Prerequisites (desirable):
Basic understanding of parallel processing (Open MP and/or MPI)

Training Materials:
Scientific/technical literature about S-gears, mechanical/contact FEM analyses, benchmark gear meshing FEM simulation cases in ANSYS

Workplan:

• W1: Introduction and training week;
• W2: S-gear CAD geometry generator
• W3-7: transient FEM analyses and optimisation procedure
• W8: Final report and video recording

Final Product Description:
The final results of this project are:

• S-gear CAD geometry generator
• FEM based gear optimisation algorithm

Simplified graphical interface for case preparation and execution (secondary requirement)

Adapting the Project: Increasing the Difficulty:
Entire procedure developed using exclusively open source software, upgrade of the model to include heat losses and temperature rise analysis (necessary especially for polymer gear analysis)

Adapting the Project: Decreasing the Difficulty:
Entire procedure developed using only commercial software

Resources:
HPC cluster at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, FEM software (ANSYS, Elmer FEM), CAD software and other necessary programming resources.

Organisation:

UL-University of Ljubljana