Title: Design And

Analysis Of Composite
Material Helical Gear

Mrigyank Mishra,
Mohit Yadav
Mohit Pratap Singh
MD Rehan Ansari

Abstract—Gearing stands out as a highly efficient means of transmitting power and rotary motion,
whether altering speed or direction or not. Among the primary causes of gear failure lie in the
bending and surface strength of gear teeth. Consequently, research in gear mechanics has focused
on stress analysis to mitigate failures and optimize gear design. This thesis delves into the
characteristics of involute helical gear systems, particularly emphasizing bending and contact
stresses through both analytical and finite element analysis approaches. Bending stress estimation
involves generating three-dimensional solid models of gears with varying tooth counts using
Pro/Engineer and conducting numerical analysis via ANSYS. Analytical investigation relies on the
Lewis stress formula. Additionally, the study examines contact stresses between mating gears using
Hertz’s equation, analyzing equivalent contacting cylinders. Results from ANSYS are juxtaposed
against theoretical values. Face width and helix angle emerge as critical geometric factors
influencing stress distribution in gear design. Hence, the paper conducts a parametric study,
manipulating face width and helix angle to observe their impact on helical gear bending stress..

INTRODUCTION Researchers like Vijayaragan and Ganesan have

The increasing demand for precise analysis of utilized three-dimensional finite element methods to
gear systems stems from their critical role in var- statically analyze composite helical gear systems,
ious machinery such as automobiles, elevators, and studying displacements and stresses across gear teeth.
generators. In industries like automotive, the neces- Others, such as Rao and Muthuveerappan, have ex-
sity for reliable yet lightweight gears is paramount. plored helical gear geometry and stress analysis
Additionally, reducing engine noise often requires the through mathematical equations and finite element
implementation of silent gear systems. Helical gears methods. Cheng and Tsay have explored the contact
have gained popularity due to their smooth operation, and bending stresses in helical gear assemblies with
high load capacity, and elevated operating speeds. localized bearing contact through finite element anal-
Designing robust helical gears for power transmission, ysis.
which are both strong and quiet, requires effective Key geometric parameters in gear design, like face
analysis methods providing insights into contact and width and helix angle, significantly influence stress
bending stresses. distribution. Nagesh Alemu conducted a parametric
study, varying face width and helix angle to observe
their effects on helical gear bending stress. Simi-

Published by the IEEE Consumer Technology 2162-2248 © E 1

 larly, Ali Raad Hassan analyzed contact stress in spur
relatively unexplored in terms of performance analysis.
gear teeth at various contact positions during rotation.
Hedlund and Lehtovaara’s study primarily focuses on
modeling helical gear contact with tooth deflection. 2. General Terminology
These studies collectively contribute to advancing Pitch circle diameter: often denoted as the PCD,
our understanding of helical gear systems, aiding in refers to the diameter of the pitch circle. It serves as
the development of stronger, quieter, and more a standard specification for the size of gears Adden-
efficient gear designs. dum: The addendum represents the radial separation
between the pitch circle and the addendum circles,
signifying the height of the tooth above the pitch
1. Literature Review circle. Dedendum: The dedendum denotes the radial
Gear analysis stands as a pivotal concern in the dis- tance between the pitch and the dedendum circles,
realm of machine elements, particularly in gear design indicating the depth of the tooth below the pitch circle.
and manufacturing. Numerous researchers have pro- Module: The module refers to the ratio of the pitch
posed various concepts for optimizing gear design to circle diameter to the number of teeth.
enhance system performance. S. Jyothirmai et al. con- Pressure angle: The pressure angle is the angle
ducted a comparative study on helical gear design and formed by the line of action with the common tangent
performance, employing finite element analysis (FEA) to the pitch circles.
and theoretical analysis based on AGMA standards, Number of teeth: This indicates the total count of
with subsequent comparison of FEA and theoretical teeth present on the gear.
results. Similarly, J. Venkatesh et al. explored methods Helix angle: The helix angle stands as a consistent
for calculating bending and contact stresses in involute angle formed by helices with respect to the axis of
helical gear pairs, comparing ANSYS and AGMA rotation.
calculations. A. Sathyanarayana Achari et al.
2.1. FEA of Gear Tooth Using
compared bending and contact stresses of helical gears
Ansys Workbench 11.1
calculated by AGMA standards and FEA, utilizing NX
Solution Procedure Using ANSYS Workbench
CAD 8.5 and NX Nastran 8.5 software packages for
11.1:
modeling and analysis. Juha Hedlund et al. focused on
1. Finite Element Formulation: For three-
modeling helical gear contact with tooth deflection,
dimensional stress analysis, solid elements are
emphasizing friction, wear, and life studies. K. Mao
essential for solving complex problems. These solid
addressed gear tooth contact analysis and wear
elements are categorized into tetrahedral, triangular,
reduction through mathematical tooth profile
and hexahedral families. In this thesis, the choice
generation and non-linear FEA simulations, proposing
is the three-dimensional eight-noded solid element
wear solutions based on gear micro-geometry
from the hexahedral family due to its suitability for
modification. B. Venkatesh et al. investigated the
analyzing components with complex shapes, such as
combined effect of gear ratio, helix angle, face width,
helical gears, where simple triangular or rectangular
and module on bending and compressive stress of steel
elements are inadequate.
alloy helical gear pairs. Kailash Bhosale analyzed the
2. Solid Modeling: Solid modeling entails the geo-
bending strength of helical gears using FEM,
metric representation of real objects without losing any
employing three-dimensional photoelasticity and
pertinent information. It possesses volume, allowing
ANSYS Workbench 12.1.
for the incorporation of material density, resulting in
These studies collectively aim to enhance gear
mass and inertia properties. Unlike surface models,
system effectiveness through weight reduction, wear,
modifications like holes or cuts automatically generate
vibration, and noise reduction, primarily focusing on
new surfaces, with the model recognizing the solid
involute and asymmetric gear tooth profiles. However,
material’s presence. One significant advantage of solid
the estimation of allowable surface fatigue stress,
modeling is its inherent ability to prevent the creation
contact stress, surface fatigue strength, tooth surface
of ambiguous or physically unrealizable computer
strength, and permissible bending stress has received
models.
limited attention. Furthermore, alternative tooth pro-
General Procedures for Creating an Involute
files such as circular and cycloidal, despite manu-
Curve: The steps for generating the involute curve are
facturing challenges or reduced root strength, remain

2 IEEE Consumer Electronics

outlined as follows: previous steps.
1. Establishing Geometric Parameters: - Determine 6. Viewing Results: - Finally, the results of the
the number of teeth. - Specify the diametral pitch. - analysis are viewed through various display options,
Define the pressure angle. 1. Specify Key Geometric allowing for comprehensive interpretation and assess-
Parameters: - Determine the pitch diameter. - Define ment.
the face width. - Specify the helix angle.
2. Establish Basic Geometry: - Generate essential
elements such as addendum, dedendum, and pitch 3. Material Properties
circles to support the gear tooth structure. The primary aim of this research endeavor is
3. Define Involute Tooth Profile: - Utilize to investigate the structural and vibrational attributes
equations within a cylindrical coordinate system to of composite material gears intended for heavy-duty
establish the involute tooth profile, employing a transmission systems in comparison to traditional steel
datum curve. alloy gear assemblies. The materials under consider-
4. Create Tooth Solid Feature: - Develop the tooth ation encompass carburized steel 10c4, case-hardened
solid feature through cutting and extrusion processes. as per IS 1570 standards, and Metal Matrix Composite
This step necessitates additional helical datum curves (MMC) materials Al-SiC. The chosen Al-SiC compos-
to facilitate the sweeping of helical gear teeth. ite features an AL 6061 matrix reinforced with 18
5. Implement Tooth Pattern: - Apply a pattern to Conventional steel alloys employed for gear ma-
distribute the tooth around the centerline axis, ensuring terials exhibit drawbacks such as low specific stiff-
uniformity in tooth placement. ness and strength coupled with high weight. Sub-
stituting composite materials for gears offers several
2.2. FEM Package advantages, including higher specific strength, reduced
The FEM package commonly referred to as AN- weight, enhanced damping capacity, extended
SYS encompasses ANSYS Mechanical, a versatile lifespan, elevated critical speed, and increased torque
finite element analysis (FEA) software suite developed carrying capacity, thereby facilitating significant
by ANSYS Inc. ANSYS Mechanical serves as a com- weight reduc- tion compared to steel. Composite
prehensive analysis tool, integrating pre-processing materials exhibit orthotropic elastic behavior rather
functionalities such as geometry creation and meshing, than linear elastic properties.
along with solver and post-processing modules, within The analysis conditions are assumed to be static.
a unified graphical user interface. For Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of gears manufac-
The solution procedure utilizing ANSYS typically tured from composite materials, Young’s modulus is
involves the following steps: theoretically calculated, while Young’s Modulus and
1. Importing Geometry: - The gear geometry slated Poisson’s ratio for alloy steel are sourced from design
for analysis is imported from the solid modeling soft- data books. The anisotropic nature of Young’s modu-
ware Pro/Engineer in IGES format, ensuring compat- lus in composite materials, varying with direction, is
ibility with ANSYS. estimated using the rule-of-mixtures.
2. Specifying Element Type and Material Proper-
ties: - Defining the element type and material proper- 4. Conclusion
ties, including parameters like Young’s modulus and The durability of gear teeth is essential to avoid
Poisson’s ratio, is crucial for accurate analysis. potential failures. This study demonstrates an effec-
3. Mesh Generation: - Meshing the three- tive approach for estimating root bending stresses by
dimensional gear model is performed to discretize employing a three-dimensional model of the gear. To
the geometry into smaller elements. This step ensures validate this method, results obtained with varying
proper representation of the geometry for analysis. numbers of teeth are compared against standard for-
(See Figure 4 for an illustration of the meshed 3D mulas.
solid model of the gear.) Moreover, the analysis of contact stress suggests
4. Applying Boundary Conditions and Loads: - that enhancing the hardness of the gear tooth profile
Boundary conditions and external loads are specified can mitigate the risk of pitting failure. Pitting failure
to simulate real-world operating conditions. involves the removal of small particles from the
5. Solution Generation: - The solution process is surface of the gear, a phenomenon that can be
initiated based on the input parameters provided in the addressed

3
 through improved tooth hardness.

5. Reference
Here are the references rephrased for research
paper:
[1] Vijayarangan and Ganesan conducted a study
titled ”A Static Analysis Of Composite Helical Gears
Using 3D FEM,” published in Computer and Struc-
tures.
[2] Rao and Muthuveerappan explored ”Finite El-
ement Modeling And Stress Analysis of Helical Gear
Teeth,” as documented in Computers and Structures.
[3] Cheng Y. and Tsay C.B. presented their work
on ”Stress Analysis Of Helical Gear Set With Lo-
calised Bearing Contact,” published in Finite Element
Analysis And Design.
[4] Negash Alemu conducted an investigation
titled ”Analysis Of Stresses In Helical Gears By Finite
Element Method.”
[5] Ali Raad Hassan contributed to the field with
”Contact Stress Analysis of Spur Gear Teeth Pair,”
published by the World Academy of Science, Engi-
neering and Technology.
[6] For additional information, refer to
nptel.iitm.ac.in/courses/IITMADRAS/Machine.

4 IEEE Consumer Electronics