Prediction of power losses due to tooth friction in gears

Sliding friction between gear teeth is recognized as one of the main sources of power loss in geared transmissions as well as a potential source of vibration and noise. Its accurate modeling is therefore of primary importance in efficiency and vibration analyses of mechanical transmissions. For lubricated contacts, various empirical friction laws based on results from simulators can be found in the literature. One of their limitations comes from the specimen surface texture, which is often different to that of actual gears. Moreover, most of these models were established for high slide-to-roll ratios and cannot be used for low slide-to-roll ratios as encountered near the pitch point in gears. In this article, friction measurements were derived front an EHL simulator with contact conditions and surface finish close to those in gears and which covers a wide range of sliding/rolling conditions. A new traction law is proposed and integrated in a three-dimensional dynamic model of gears with consideration of tooth friction. The numerical results are then compared with the experimental evidence from a gear test rig. It is observed that tooth friction can strongly affect dynamic transmissibility through bearing mounts. Finally, the need of an accurate friction model for reliable power loss predictions is stressed.