Gear Metrology

Interpretation & Failures

Mahr OKM GmbH, Jena

June , 2007

by Sven Hoose

Contents
Introduction
Part 1 Gear Metrology
Basics of Gear Metrology Deviations Strategies for efficient inspection

Part 2 Gear Failures

Gear Failures & probable cause Extended Gear failures analysis

Gear Metrology Basics and Interpretation 2 2007-06, Sven Hoose

Contents
Introduction
Part 1 Gear Metrology
Basics of Gear Metrology Deviations Strategies for efficient inspection

Part 2 Gear Failures

Gear Failures & probable cause Extended Gear failures analysis

Gear Metrology Basics and Interpretation 3 2007-06, Sven Hoose

Basics of Gear Metrology

Standard Cylindrical Gear Measurements Lead Inspection Index & Run out Inspection

Profile Inspection

Tooth Thickness Inspection

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Basics of Gear Metrology

Lead Inspection

The characteristics of Lead Deviations are being measured and evaluated at the middle of the Tooth Height. The Lead Inspection defines the Form and location of the tooth flank without influence of other parameters.

Gear Metrology Basics and Interpretation 5 2007-06, Sven Hoose

Basics of Gear Metrology

Profile Inspection

The characteristics of Profile Deviations are being measured and evaluated perpendicular to the involute form. The Profile Inspection defines the Form and location of the involute form without influence of other parameters.

Gear Metrology Basics and Interpretation 6 2007-06, Sven Hoose

Basics of Gear Metrology

Pitch Inspection

The characteristics of Pitch Deviations are being measured and evaluated at the middle of the tooth height and describing the middle location of all right and left flanks to each other.

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Basics of Gear Metrology

Run out Inspection

The characteristics of Runout devaitions measured and evaluated at the middle of the tooth height and describing the radial location of all teeth related to the pitch circle..

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Basics of Gear Metrology

Tooth Thickness Inspection

The characteristics of Tooth Thickness is defined as the length of a circular arc at the pitch circle between both flanks of each tooth.

Gear Metrology Basics and Interpretation 9 2007-06, Sven Hoose

Contents
Introduction
Part 1 Gear Metrology
Basics of Gear Metrology Deviations Strategies for efficient inspection

Part 2 Gear Failures

Gear Failures & probable cause Extended Gear failures analysis

Gear Metrology Basics and Interpretation 10 2007-06, Sven Hoose

Deviations for Gear Measurements

Lead Deviations

ffb Lead form Form Variation Is defined as the difference between the Nominal Lead Form line to the actual form line.

Fhb Lead Angle Variation Is defined as the difference between the Nominal Helix Angle to the actual Helix angle.

Fb Total Lead Variation Is defined as the sum of the both, the Lead Form and Lead Angle deviation.

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Deviations for Gear Measurements

Profile Deviations

ffa Profile Form Variation Is defined as the difference between the Nominal Involute Form to the actual Involute form .

fha Profile Angle Variation Is defined as the difference between the Nominal Involute Angle to the actual Involute angle.

Fa Total Profile Variation Is defined as the sum of the both, the Profile Form and Angle deviation.

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Deviations for Gear Measurements

Pitch Deviations

fp Single Pitch variation Is defined as the difference between the Nominal angular position of each flank to the previous flank at the same side

Fp Total pitch variation Is defined as the the maximum difference between the Nominal angular position of each right and left flanks to the actual measured position.

Fr Run out Variation Is defined as the maximum difference of the Nominal radial position of all teeth to the actual measured position.

Gear Metrology Basics and Interpretation 13 2007-06, Sven Hoose

Contents
Introduction
Part 1 Gear Metrology
Basics of Gear Metrology Deviations Strategies for efficient inspection

Part 2 Gear Failures

Gear Failures & probable cause Extended Gear failures analysis

Gear Metrology Basics and Interpretation 14 2007-06, Sven Hoose

Strategies for efficient Gear Inspection

Do not always measure all parameters that are standardized a) Differentiate before programming and measurements which parameter are of the most interest for each operation For example : 1. Start of Production first requires quick analyses of tooth thickness and run out 2. Followed by a sample of parts that only needs to be measured for lead and profile 3. Followed by a one sample measurement after min. of 10 parts where topography is measured on 1 teeth 4. Never measure bunch of parts with the same strategy of measurements 5. Keep basic gauges at the machine and track the measurements (tooth thickness etc,) b) Differentiate before measurement based on the stage and parameter that are needed to qualify the part For example: 1. Hobbed gears needs to measured with Cutter Flat recognition mostly for Lead and Pitch Profile only at the start and the end of each cycle. 2.Ground parts needs to be measured completely , but necessarily mostly for Pitch and profile corrections. Choose out the measurement strategy in terms of Speed and probe diameter according to the process the gear is needed to qualify For example : 1. Don't use always the same probe for all measurements , for hobbed gears use larger probes 2. Don't use always the same measurement speed , think of needed and nice before programming Combine the traditional measurement (DIN,AGAM;JIS) cycles, with topography and twist measurements at one teeth.

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End of first session !

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Contents
Introduction
Part 1 Gear Metrology
Basics of Gear Metrology Deviations Strategies for efficient inspection

Part 2 Gear Failures

Gear Failures & probable cause Extended Gear failures analysis

Gear Metrology Basics and Interpretation 17 2007-06, Sven Hoose

Gear Failures - Lead/Helix Inspection errors

Lead Chart with wobble Lead Chart with taper

Probable cause / to check

1) Part blank bore not perpendicular to the face of the blank. 2) Part blank faces not parallel. 3) Fixture not accurate, or misaligned. 4) Tailstock misaligned, or center loose or damaged on the hobbing machine. 5) Inspection arbor problem. 6) Worm spindle bearing problem on the hobbing machine.

Probable cause / to check

1) Tailstock misaligned on the hobbing machine. 2) Hobbing machine itself misaligned.

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Gear Failures - Lead/Helix Inspection errors

Lead Chart with angular error Lead Chart with breakout

Probable cause / to check

1) Tailstock misaligned on the hobbing machine. 2) Hobbing machine misaligned. 3) Incorrect differential change gears or helix value (CNC). 4) Loose or work hob arbor end support on the hobbing machine. 5) Incorrect helix angle data input at Gear Tester

Probable cause / to check

1) Tailstock loose or worn. 2) Part slipped in the fixture. 3) Fixture not clamped properly. 4) Hob arbor end support improperly installed or worn on the hobbing machine. 5) Backlash in the cutter spindle drive system on the hobbing machine. 6) Backlash in the work spindle drive system on the hobbing machine.

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Gear Failures - Lead/Helix Inspection errors

Lead Chart with periodic error

..... profile failures ..... profile failures

Probable cause / to check

1) Run-out of multiple thread hob. 2) Thread to thread spacing error on multiple thread hob. 3) Feed screw or bearings of the feed screw on the hobbing machine.

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Gear Failures - Profile Inspection errors

Profile Chart with negative tips

Probable cause / to check

1) Incorrect hob sharpening. The hob has been sharpened with positive rake error making the hob tooth larger toward the outside diameter and the gear tooth smaller. 2) Incorrect swivel angle setting on the hobbing machine. 3) Bad hob.

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Gear Failures - Profile Inspection errors

Profile Chart with positive tip Profile Chart with leaning teeth

Probable cause / to check

1) Incorrect hob sharpening. A hob sharpened with gash lead error will cause both a leaning profile and size change as the hob is shifted. See Figure below

Probable cause / to check

1) Incorrect hob sharpening. The hob has been sharpened with negative rake error, making the hob tooth smaller toward the outside diameter with gear tooth larger. This is the opposite of the condition shown before. 2) Incorrect swivel angle setting on the hobbing machine. 3) Bad hob.

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Gear Failures - Profile Inspection errors

Profile Chart with uniform waves Profile Chart with non uniform waves

Probable cause / to check

1) Hob had runout when mounted. The hob runout can be caused by a bad cutter, damaged arbor, or dirty mounting conditions. 2) Incorrect hob sharpening. The hob was sharpened with runout during the mounting on the sharpening machine or sharpening arbor. 3) A loose or worn hob arbor end support on the hobbing machine. 4) Excessive backlash in the hob spindle system on the hobbing machine. 5) Excessive backlash in the work spindle system on the hobbing machine.

Probable cause / to check

1) A loose or worn hob arbor end support on the hobbing machine. 2) Excessive backlash in the hob spindle system on the hobbing machine. 3) Excessive backlash in the work spindle system on the hobbing machine. 4) Hobbing machine system in poor overall condition.

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Gear Failures Pitch and Index Inspection

Index Chart with large tooth to tooth error Profile Chart with uniform repeatable tooth to tooth errors

Probable cause / to check

1) The large tooth to tooth error is typically a dirty condition or a nick on a gear tooth. Nicks are normally caused by material handling problems. Adding a tip chamfer to the design of the gear tooth profile, and hob, will reduce this type of damage.

Probable cause / to check

1)A uniform but excessive tooth-to-tooth error that repeats each 360/Z (where z is the number of teeth in the part) is typically caused by the cutting tool and involute error. a) The hob was shifted beyond its useful face width and is no longer generating the involute correctly. This may occur on one flank and will thus indicate an error in one direction of rotation. 2) Tooth-to-Tooth error can be caused by the hobbing machine. a) The hob spindle has axial and/or radial runout. b) End support for the hob arbor is damaged or worn.

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Gear Failures Pitch and Index Inspection

Index Chart with large composite error

Summary

The examples shown in this presentation are isolated to a particular error. In actual troubleshooting multiple problems will occur and compound the complexity of the resulting inspection charts. These examples should be used as a guide in the solution your problem, with the goal of Probable cause / to check step-by-step correction
1) The work piece blank has radial runout or the blank has face wobble, resulting in excessive axial runout. 2) The work piece mounting fixture has radial or axial runout. 3) The gear teeth have excessive lead variation. 4) The hobbing machine work spindle or index drive system is worn or has runout.

of each error identified.

Gear Metrology Basics and Interpretation 25 2007-06, Sven Hoose

Contents
Introduction
Part 1 Gear Metrology
Basics of Gear Metrology Deviations Strategies for efficient inspection

Part 2 Gear Failures

Gear Failures & probable cause Extended Gear failures analysis

Gear Metrology Basics and Interpretation 26 2007-06, Sven Hoose

Extended Gear Failure Analyses

1.) Pitting
Pitting at Gear flanks Causes: To high flank pressure between the power transmitting tooth flanks, predominantly to accrue between the Root and Pitch circle of the driving member. Characteristically after long run-time. At tempered gears the pittings are smaller, more often and evenly distributed along the face with.

REM picture of fine pitting Counteractive measures: a) Higher purity grade of the material b) Ground Tooth flanks c) Detailed monitoring of heat treatment operations d) comprehensive inspection of - Surface Hardness - Hardness profile - Microstructure

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Extended Gear Failure Analyses

2.) Fatigue crack Gear tooth
Microstructure of single tooth Causes: Fatigue cracks or fractures of Gear teeth are occurring while repeatedly exceeding of the maximum endurable load factor. Tooth edge cracks are the most common types of fatigue crack situations. Mostly caused through unequally distributed load and pressure over the whole tooth flank.

Fatigue Crack at Gear Tooth Root Fillet Counteractive measures: a) Check Root tooth pressure strength b) Check undercut options c) Groove free Root fillet area

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Extended Gear Failure Analyses

3.) Influence of Surface Roughness
* source T.C. Jao, M.T. Devlin, J.L. Milner, R.N. Iyer, and M.R. Hoeprich 05/06

Target : The study shows that the micro pitting area is radically larger when the gear surface roughness is close to the upper limit of the range studied. Plasticity index, which approaches a value of around 3.7 for the rougher gear surface, appears to be responsible for the formation of such a large micro pitting area. At the same time, the formation of a pit is also greatly delayed. Not only is the pitting life significantly longer, but the initiation of pits can occur near the pitch line.

SEM pictures of different Surface structures Result: The study here confirms that within the family of pitting gears, which have a surface roughness value around 0.3m, the rougher surface will decrease the pitting life

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Extended Gear Failure Analyses

4.) Summary
Conduct nondestructive tests before any destructive tests. These nondestructive tests, which aid in detecting material or manufacturing defects and provide rating information, include:

Basic Tests
Surface hardness and roughness. Magnetic particle inspection. Gear tooth accuracy inspection.

Advanced Tests
Micro hardness survey. Micro structural determination using various acid etches. Determination of grain size. Determination of nonmetallic inclusions.

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End of second session !

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