Spur gears Spur gears have teeth that are straight and arranged parallel to the axis of the

shaft that carries the gear. The curved shape of the faces of the spur gear teeth has a special geometry called an involute curve. This shape makes it possible for two gears to operate together with smooth, positive transmission of power. The shafts carrying gears are parallel. Spur gear design Actual output speed (gear)
nG = nP np VR

!"

rotational speed of the pinion gear ratio

VR = NG NP

number of gear, pinion teeth. The spreadsheet computes the approximate number of gear teeth to produce
NG , N P
Gd the desired speed from NG = N P n ( nGd desired output speed). #ut, of P course, the number of teeth on any gear must be an integer, and the actual value of NG is selected by the designer.

Spur gear geometry For full depth involute teeth in the diametral pitch system $itch diameter
D = N Pd N D

%iametral $itch
Pd =

&utside diameter
Do = N +2 Pd 1 Pd

Addendum
a =

%edendum if Pd < 20
b = 1.25 Pd

if Pd 20
b = 1.2 + 0.002 Pd

'learance

if Pd < 20
c = 0.25 Pd

if Pd 20
c = 0.2 + 0.002 Pd

"oot diameter
DR = D 2b

#ase circle diameter

Db = D cos

'ircular pitch
p = D N

(hole depth
ht = a + b

(orking depth
hk = 2a

Tooth thickness
t = 2Pd

'enter distance
C = DG + DP 2

#ending geometry factor, ), is dependent on the number of teeth of gear for which geometry factor is desired and on the number of teeth in mating gear. !alues can be found from A*+A ,-./#.,("0,,1). $itting geometry factor, 2, is dependent on the tooth geometry and on gear ratio. !alues can be found from A*+A Standard 30..-0. Force and speed factors $itch line speed

Vt =
Tangential force
Wt =

DP nP 12

33000 (P ) Vt
126000 (P ) nD

or
Wt =

where4 P transmitted power "adial force

Wr = Wt tan

5ormal force
Wn = Wt cos

6xpected bending stress

St = Wt Pd K o K s K m K B Kv F J

where4
J Ko Ks
Km

KB Kv

bending geometry factor overload factor si7e factor load/distribution factor rim thickness factor dynamic factor.

Expected bending stress formula for SI units is given by b (Wt / F.m.J) (KO.KS.Km.K .K!) (here8 b bending stress 9+$a:, m module 9mm:, ; face width 9mm:, (t transmitted load 95: The A*+A indicates that the size factor KS can be taken to be 1.00 for most gears. #ut for gears with large/si7e teeth or large face widths, a value greater than 0.-- recommended. *ear design programs compute the si7e factor automatically. The determination of load distribution factor Km is based on many variables in the design of the gears themselves as !ell as in the shafts" bearings" housings" and the structure in !hich the gear drive is installed. Therefore, it is one of the most difficult factors to specify. +uch analytical and experimental work is continuing on the determination of values for K m . (e will use the following e<uation for computing the value of the load/ distribution factor4

K m = 1.0 + C pf + Cma
where4

C pf

pinion proportion factor is dependent on face width and

pitch diameter C ma mesh alignment factor.

#he dynamic factor" Kv " accounts for the fact that the load is assumed by a tooth !ith some degree of impact and that the actual load sub=ected

to the tooth is higher than the transmitted load alone. #he value of Kv depends on the accuracy of tooth profile" the elastic properties of tooth" and the speed !ith !hich the teeth come into contact. A*+A Standard 3--0/',1 gives recommended values for Kv based on the $%&$ 'uality number" Qv " and the pitch line velocity. *ears in typical machine design would have A*+A <uality ratings of 1 through >, which are for gears made by hobbing or shaping !ith average to good tooling. 2f the teeth are finish/ground or shaved to improve the accuracy of the tooth profile and spacing, <uality numbers in the . / 00 range should be used. ?nder very special conditions where teeth of high precision are used in applications where there is little chance of developing external dynamic loads, higher <uality numbers can be used. 2f the teeth are cut by form milling, factors lower than those found from QV 1 should be used. 5ote that the <uality 1 gears should not be used at pitch line speed above 03.> m@s (31-- ft@min). 5ote that the dynamic factors are approximate.

Expected contact stress

Sc = C p
where4
CP

Wt K o K s K m Kv FDp I

elastic coefficient that depends on the material of both the pinion and the

gear. 3A-- for two steel gears. The design program automatically selects the appropriate value after the user specifies the materials.
CP

$rocedure for selecting materials for bending stress

K R ( SF ) St < Sat YN
where4
KR

SF
YN

reliability factor factor of safety stress cycle factor for bending.

A*+A Standard 3--0/',1 allows the determination of the life ad=ustment factor, YN , if the teeth of the gear being analy7ed are expected to experience a number of cycles of loading much different from 10 7 . 5ote that the general type of material is a factor for the lower number of cycles. ;or the higher number of cycles, a range is indicated by a shaded area. 6xpected number of cycles of loading where4 " n <

Nc = ( 60)( !)( n )( )

design life in hours rotational speed in rpm number of load applications per revolution.

$rocedure for selecting materials for contact stress K R ( SF ) Sc < Sac "N where4
"N

pitting resistance stress cycle factor.

A*+A Standard 3--0/',1 specifies the determination of the stress cycle factor, " N . 2f the teeth of the gear being analy7ed are expected to experience a number of cycles of loading much different from 10 7 , a factor should be used. The user specifies the desired life for the system in hours and the program computes the values for YN and " N . After computing the values for allowable bending stress number, Sat , and for allowable contact stress number, Sac , you should go to the data in A*+A Standard 3--0/',1, to select a suitable material. 'onsider first whether the material should be steel, cast iron, bron7e, or plastic. Then consult the related tables of data.

Pressure angle The pressure angle is the angle between the tangent to the pitch circles and the line drawn normal (perpendicular) to the surface of the gear tooth The line normal to the gear teeth is sometimes referred to as the line of action. (hen two gear teeth are in mesh and are transmitting power, the force transferred from the driver to the driven gear tooth acts in a direction along the line of action. Also, the actual shape of the gear tooth depends on the pressure angle. Standard values of the pressure angle are established by gear manufacturers, and the pressure angle of two gears in mesh must be the same. 'urrent standard pressure angles are, although the 14
1 2

tooth form is considered to

be obsolete. Although it is still available, it should be avoided for new designs. The 3- degrees tooth form is the most readily available at this time. The advantages and disadvantages of the different values of pressure angle relate to the strength of the teeth, the occurrence of interference, and the magnitude of forces exerted on the shaft.

Face width The face width can be specified once the diametral pitch is chosen. Although a wide range of face widths is possible, the following limits are used for general machine drive gears4
8 16 <F < Pd Pd

5ominal value of F = P d (or SI System of )nits" * m+ ( + , m

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-ominal value of ( . / m $lso" the face !idth normally is not greater than pitch diameter of the pinion. An upper limit is placed on the face width to minimi7e problems with alignment. A very wide face width increases the chance for less than full face loading of the teeth. (hen the face width is less than the lower limit, it is probable that a more compact design can be achieved with different pitch. 5otice that D < 2.00 is recommended. p Number of pinion teeth 2n the selection of the number of teeth on the pinion, the designer must be aware of potential interference. ;or certain combinations of numbers of teeth in a gear pair, there is interference between the tip of the teeth on the pinion and the fillet or root of the teeth on the gear. &bviously this cannot be tolerated because the gears simply will not mesh. The probability that interference will occur is greatest when a small pinion drives a large gear, with the worst case being a small pinion driving a rac#. A rack is a gear with a straight pitch line8 it can be thought of as a gear with an infinite pitch diameter. 2t is the designerBs responsibility to ensure that interference does not occur in a given application. The surest way to do this is to control the minimum number of teeth in the pinion. 2f a designer wants to be sure that there will not be interference between any two gears when using the 14
1 2

, full/depth, involute system, the pinion

of the gear pair must have no fewer than A3 teeth.

(or the 20 " full depth" involute system" using no fe!er than 10 teeth !ill ensure that no interference occurs. ;or the 25 , full/depth, involute system, using no fewer than 03 teeth will ensure that no interference occurs.

Design life 1esign life is" indeed" a design decision based on the application . As a guideline, this set of data was created for use in bearing design and is used here for gearing4 Application %omestic appliances Aircraft engines Automotive Agricultural e<uipment 6levators, industrial fans, multipurpose gearing 6lectric motors, industrial blowers, general industrial machines $umps and compressors 'ritical e<uipment in continuous 3C/h operation %esign life " (h) from 0--- to 3--from 0--- to C--from 01-- to 1--from A--- to D--from .--- to 01,--from 3-,--- to A-,--from C-,--- to D-,--from 0--,--- to 3--,---

Number of load applications per revolution, q The normal number of load applications per revolution for any given tooth is typically, of course, one. #ut consider the case of an idler gear that serves as both a driven and driving gear in a gear train . 2t receives two cycles of load per revolution4 one as it receives power from and one as it delivers power to its mating gears. Also, in certain types of gear trains, one gear may deliver power to two or more gears mating with it. *ears in a planetary gear train often have this characteristic. Rim thickness The rim thickness factor, K B , accounts for a rim that may be too thin. The basic analysis used to develop the 2e!is e'uation assumes that the gear tooth behaves as a cantilever attached to a perfectly rigid support structure at its base. 2f the rim of the gear is too thin, it can deform and cause the point of maximum stress to shift from the area of the gear/tooth fillet to a point within the rim. The key geometry parameter is called the $ac#up ratio, mB , where

t mB = R ht
tR
ht

rim thickness8 whole depth of the gear tooth.

;or mB E0.3, the rim is sufficiently strong and stiff to support the tooth, and K B 0.-. ;or mB F0.3, rim thickness factor determined3
2.242 K B = 1.6 ln m B

(hen a solid gear blank is used, input a large value (say t " E 0.- inch) for rim thickness. The resulting value is K B = 1 .

Gear application The mesh alignment factor, pair.

ma

, is dependent on the application of the gear

4pen gearing refers to drive s!stems in which the shafts are supported in bearings that are mounted on structural elements of machines with the e"pectation that relativel! large misalignments will result# 2n commercial 'uality enclosed gear units, the bearings are mounted in a specially designed housing that provides more rigidity than for open gearing" but for which the tolerances on individual dimensions are fairly loose.

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The precision enclosed gear units are made to tighter tolerances. Extra precision enclosed gear units are made to exacting precision and are often ad=usted at assembly to achieve excellent alignment of the gear teeth. $lastic coefficient The value of this coefficient depends on the material of the pinion and the gear. ;or instance if the pinion and the gear are both steel the elastic coefficient C p 3A--. Simply click on the database icon and you will be prompted to input the material type for the pinion and the gear, and the appropriate value will be inserted for calculations. ;or a complete listing of values, A*+A standard 3--0/',1 can be referenced. %verload factor, &o 4verload factors consider the probability that load variations" vibrations" shock" speed changes" and other application specific conditions may result in peak loads greater than Wt being applied to the teeth during operation. A careful analysis of actual conditions should be made, and the A*+A Standard 3--0/',1 gives no specific values for overload factor. The primary considerations are the nature of both the driving po!er source and the driven machine. An overload factor of 0.-- would be applied for a perfectly smooth electric motor driving a perfectly smooth generator through a gear type speed reducer. Any rougher conditions call for a value of overload factor Go greater than 0.--. ;or power sources we will use the following4 ?niform4 6lectric motor or constant/speed gas turbine Hight shock4 (ater turbine, variable speed drive +oderate shock4 +ulti/cylinder engine

6xamples of the roughness of driven machines include the following4 - ?niform4 'ontinuous/duty generator - Hight shock4 ;ans and low/speed centrifugal pumps, li<uid agitators, variable/duty generators, uniformly loaded conveyors, rotary positive displacement pumps - +oderate shock4 Iigh/speed centrifugal pumps, reciprocating pumps and compressors, heavy/duty conveyors, machine tool drives, concrete mixers, textile machinery, meat grinders, saws - Ieavy shock4 "ock crushers, punch press drives, pulveri7ers, processing mills, tumbling barrels, wood chippers, vibrating screens, railroad car dumpers

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Factor of safet! The factor of safety may be used to account for the following4 - )ncertainties in the design analysis - )ncertainties in material characteristics - )ncertainties in manufacturing tolerances 2t may also be used to provide an extra measure of safety in critical applications. 5o general guidelines are published, and designers must evaluate the conditions of each application. 5ote, however, that many of the factors often considered to be a part of a factor of safety in general design practice have already been included in the calculations for the allowable stresses. Therefore, a modest value for factor of safety should suffice, between 0.-- and 0.1-. 'ardness ratio factor,
'

*ood gear design practice calls for making the pinion teeth harder than the gear teeth so that the gear teeth are smoothed and work/hardened during operation. This increases the gear capacity with regard to pitting resistance and is accounted for by the factor C # . %ata for C # for through/hardened gears (A*+A Standard 3--0/',1) depend on the ratio of the hardness of pinion and the hardness of gear, expressed as NG the #rinell hardness number, and on the gear ratio where mG = . NP ?se the given curves in the graphic help for hardness ratios between 0.3 and 0.>. ;or hardness ratios under 0.3, use C # 0.--. ;or hardness ratios over 0.>, use the value of C # for 0.>, as no substantial additional improvement is gained.

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