A study of nonlinear excitation modeling of helical gears with Modification: Theoretical analysis and experiments

A nonlinear hybrid dynamic model of a helical gearbox is proposed in this study. The model considers the nonlinear coupling effect of time-varying mesh stiffness (TVMS) and transmission error excitation. The effects of tip relief and lead crowning on the TVMS and dynamic characteristics of the helical gear transmission system are studied. Numerical methods are used to obtain the frequency response curves of the vibration acceleration of the helical gear system. The optimal values of tooth modification parameters are then determined in order to minimize the vibration amplitude. The simulation results indicate that the optimized tooth modification parameters can effectively decrease mesh stiffness fluctuation in the alternating areas of the teeth and reduce the vibration acceleration amplitude at its resonance frequency. Finally, the theoretical model is validated against an experimental platform of a high-speed rail traction gearbox transmission system, and the dynamic responses are compared.