Analysis of Bending Stress at Root of the Spur Gear by Finite

Element Method

Anil Patil
Lecturer in Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shantiniketan Polytechnic
Maharashtra, India
__________________________________________________________________________
Abstract
The basic task of this paper is determining and analyzing bending stress in gear tooth .In this paper,
the bending stresses are determined by using Lewis cantilever beam theory and finite element analysis by
considering only one gear tooth pair in contact.
This paper gives detailed procedure of gear model generation, meshing, loading conditions and
post processing of results. In determining bending stress by finite element analysis, in one case only tangential
force acting on gear tooth is considered while in another case both tangential force as well as radial force are
considered. The bending stress obtained by finite element analysis method is compared with bending stress
obtained by Lewis equation.

Key words: - Gear tooth, bending stress, finite element analysis, tangential force, radial force
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Introduction method. The purpose of this paper is to

Gears are means by apply finite element analysis method for
which power is transmitted from source to bending stress calculation of gear tooth.
application. Gearing and geared
transmissions drive the machines of
modern industry. Yet many engineers and Nomenclature
researchers continue to develop into areas
where improvements are necessary, σb Bending Stress
seeking to quantify, establish and codify
methods to make gears to meet the ever- P Diametrical pitch
widening needs of advancing technology. F Face width
Many advanced technology
applications have a general requirement Y Lewis Factor
that the power to the transmission weight W Load Applied at Tip of Tooth
ratio should be high. Therefore it is
necessary to determine accurate stresses Wt Tangential Component of Tooth Load
induced in gear tooth, while transmitting Ka Application Factor
the power.
The failure of gear tooth occurs due Ks Size Factor
to pitting of gear tooth surface or and Km Load Distribution Factor
bending stress at the root of gear tooth.
There are several approaches to Kv Dynamic Load Factor
determine stresses and deflections in gear J Geometry Factor
tooth. One of the modes of failure of a gear
tooth results from breakage in the root t Thickness of gear tooth
fillet area. The most commonly used
T Number of Teeth
method to determine bending stress is
Lewis cantilever beam theory. The most M Module
powerful method to determine bending
Wr Radial component of tooth Load
stress and deflection is finite element
Lewis Equation for Gear Strength:- Modified equation by AGMA

A more comprehensive equation has

been defined by AGMA as follows,

σb = Wt * P* Ka* Ks * Km /F * J * Kv

AGMA equation for bending stress

calculation takes into account radial load
as well as stress concentration at root of
gear tooth.

Values of Key Parameters used for

analysis are as given below
Fig No.1 (a) Gear Tooth Load.
Number of teeth (T) 25
Module (M) 4 mm
Pressure Angle 20 degree
Addendum(mm) 1.00 M
Dedendum (mm) 1.25 M
Face width 15 mm
Fig. No.1 (b) Gear tooth modeled as a Modulus of Elasticity 2*105 N/mm2
cantilever beam
Poisson’s Ratio 0.27
Historically, the first equation used Hub Diameter 25 mm
to determine the bending stress at the root
of the gear tooth was derived by Lewis. In
this equation the gear tooth is considered
as a simple cantilever beam as shown Finite Element Analysis:-
above. Lewis equation to calculate Fatigue and yielding of a
bending stress is as given below, gear tooth due to excessive bending
stresses is two important gear design
σb = Wt*P/FY, considerations. In order to predict fatigue
and yielding, the maximum stresses on the
The Lewis equation is based on tensile and compressive sides of the tooth,
following assumptions respectively, are required. In the past, the
1) The effect of radial load is ignored. bending stress sensitivity of a gear tooth
2) The effect of stress concentration at has been calculated using photo elasticity
the fillet is ignored. or relatively coarse FEM meshes.
3) It is assumed that at any time only However, with present computer
one pair of teeth is in contact and developments we can make significant
takes total load. improvements for more accurate FEM
simulations
 Finite Element Model of Spur Gear
Tooth
The most time consuming
step in finite element analysis is creating
the finite element model. After
determining type of analysis required and
the characteristics of operating
environment, a finite element model must
be produced with appropriate analysis Fig No. 3 Von Misses stresses at the root
parameters, such as load, constraints, of tooth
element choice and a suitable mesh. The
model can be generated by using Different Fig. No. 3 shows the bending stress
3D modeling commercial softwares such induced at root of gear tooth when load of
Ideas, Solidworks, Catia etc are available 850 N is applied at tip of the single tooth
in market. In this study 3D model of the and its only tangential component is
gear is developed by using Catia. considered.
After generating model in Catia In above case following results are
it is imported in Ansys and meshed by obtained.
using brick45 element. After meshing,
loading conditions and boundary Load Applied Stress Induced
conditions are applied on gear model. The 850 N 83.94 N/mm2
root stresses and the deflection of one
tooth of a spur gear is calculated. 958 N 94.53 N/mm2
Fig No. 2 shows loading condition
1065 N 105.02 N/mm2
of gear tooth considering only tangential
component of load 850 N. 1170 N 115.53 N/mm2
1277 N 126.33 N/mm2

In second case, tangential component

as well as radial component of the force is
considered with same boundary condition
as above and also load is varied from 850
N to 1277 N.

Fig No. 2 FEA model of Gear Tooth

with Tangential Load

In first case, only tangential

component of the force is considered and
force is varied from 850 N to 1277 N. In
this case, stresses induced on tensile side
and on compressive side of root of tooth
have same magnitude. Fig No. 3 FEA model of Gear Tooth
with Tangential and Radial Load
 Fig No. 2 shows loading condition of
gear tooth considering tangential
component as well as radial component of
force 850 N.
The results obtained in this case
shows different values of stresses on
tensile side and on compressive side of
tooth.
Fig No. 5 Von Misses stresses on the root
of tooth on Tensile Side of Tooth
Fig No. 6 Von Misses stresses at the root
of tooth on Compressive Side of Tooth
Fig No. 5 shows stress induced
at root of tooth on tensile side while fig
no.6 shows stress induced at root of tooth
on compressive side by applying load of
850 N.
The stresses induced on tensile
side and compressive side by considering
tangential component as well as radial
component of load is given below,
Load Stress on Stress on
Applied Tensile Side Compressive
side
850 N 72.36 N/mm2 81.40 N/mm2
958 N 81.95 N/mm2 91.15 N/mm2
1065 N 90.38 N/mm2 101.67 N/mm2
1170 N 99.42 N/mm2 111.85 N/mm2
1277 N 108.8 N/mm2 122.02 N/mm2
Conclusion
The objective of current work is
to study analytic and finite element method
for determination of bending stresses in
gear tooth. By analytic method it is
possible to calculate stress by applying
load only at one position on gear tooth.
While, in finite element it is
possible to apply load at various positions
on tooth profile and determine stresses for
particular loading conditions. In this
method we can apply tangential force as
well as radial force on true shape of gear
profile. The accurate results of finite
element method can be used in fatigue life
estimations of gear tooth structure.
The result shows that the bending
stresses determined by analytical method
have same magnitude of stress on tensile
side as well as compressive side of the
tooth.
In case of finite element analysis,
if only tangential component of force is
considered then result shows that tensile
stress and compressive stress have same
magnitude. But, in finite element analysis,
if we consider both tangential and radial
component of force then result shows that
compressive stress has more magnitude
compared to tensile stress. Also result
shows that if radial force is considered in
analysis, the maximum value of the
induced stress is also decreases compared
to stress induced by considering only
tangential load.
References:-
1) John J. Coy, Dennis P. Townsend, Erwin V. Zeretsky. “Gearing”, NASA Reference
Publication 1985.
2) Nice Carter, “The Involute Curve, Drafting a Gear in CAD and Applications”.
3) S. M. Mahbub Murshed, M Arifeen Wahed, M. A. Salam Akanda, “Parametric Solution of
Spur Gear Tooth under Tip Load”. Dhaka University.
4) C. E. Passerello and L. W. Shuey, “An Investigation of Dynamic Response of Spur Gear
Teeth With Moving Load.”, Michigan Technological University, Michigan, 1987.
5) Niemann G., “Machine Elements Volume 2”, Springer – Verlag, Berlin
6) Gitin Mitra, “Handbook of Gear Design”, Tata McGraw Hill International Edition.