DRAFT PRE-PROPOSAL

Specific innovation objective

Development of a new high-speed gear measurement instrument for helical spur gears by single flank rolling method, with noise analysis

Double flank vs. single flank rolling method

Functional control of gears is typically made with 'double flank' (one gear and one master gears constantly in contact - measurement of instantaneous axis distance. This control method is the cheapest, as it uses one single length measurement device to measure istantaneous distance between gear axis, and is not effective, as gears usually have fixed mounting position. Rotation speed is usually low.

An improvement is made by 'single flank' rolling, where the quality of gearing is evaluated by rotation encoders (angle measurement) and not just distance. The two gears (one can be master gear) work with fixed axis distance, as in the real case.

State of the art for single flank measurement

Single flank gear measuring instruments have been produced for rotor compressors, for worm gears and for bevel gears. Rotation speed for existing measuring systems is low (60 rpm) and noise analysis is implemented only in larger measuring machines.

Needs addressed

Partner number 2 (B) requires a single flank measurement system for helical spur gears, which can be obtained by a modification of an existing gear measuring instrument. This project is a hardware modification of an existing instrument and the design of a new software module and new fixturing systems, to fit specific customer needs, capable of higher rotational speed (600-800 rpm and more, thus simulating effective application as in the real gear life) and including an optional noise analysis module (at different frequencies).

Reduced budget

Being an improvement of an existing single flank gear measuring systems, the required budget is only a fraction of the budget required for a completely new instrument design. Design capability is already existing, the only components to be purchased are the noise acquisition system and special drives and robust components for high speed.

Benefits

The new measuirng instrument will allow to evaluate behaviour and noise of spur helical gear under true operational conditions