Vibro-acoustic propagation of gear dynamics in a gear-bearing-housing system

•A set of mathematical models address the vibro-acoustic propagation of gear dynamics.•The proposed approach can be implemented using other conventional analysis tools.•Off-diagonal stiffnesses of rolling element bearings affect gearbox dynamics.•The gearbox housing is a critical component in the path of noise radiation.

This work developed a computational process to predict noise radiation from gearboxes. It developed a system-level vibro-acoustic model of an actual gearbox, including gears, bearings, shafts, and housing structure, and compared the results to experiments. The meshing action of gear teeth causes vibrations to propagate through shafts and bearings to the housing radiating noise. The vibration excitation from the gear mesh and the system response were predicted using finite element and lumped-parameter models. From these results, the radiated noise was calculated using a boundary element model of the housing. Experimental vibration and noise measurements from the gearbox confirmed the computational predictions. The developed tool was used to investigate the influence of standard rolling element and modified journal bearings on gearbox radiated noise.