ADVANCED ENGINEERING

2(2008)1, ISSN 1846-5900

RIM STRESS OF THIN-RIMMED GEAR

Marunić, G.

Abstract: The paper deals with the analysis of thin-rimmed gear stress induced by a load
applied to a gear tooth. The stress of spur external gear is determined by means of three-
dimensional finite element method and by use of the developed pinion-wheel numerical model.
The effect of teeth foundation rigidity variation upon tooth-root and rim stress is established.
The comparison of the rim stress magnitude and distribution over the rim internal surface is
performed in relation to the rim thickness and utilizing equivalent stress as relevant one,
considering the actual three-dimensionality of spur gear.

Keywords: thin-rimmed gear, tooth-root stress, rim stress, rim thickness

1 INTRODUCTION
The deformation and stress of thin-rimmed gears have been well elaborated in the
literature, and this attention has been arising from the actual interest for their
application and consequently, for the necessity of more appropriate strength calcu-
lation.
The studies of thin-rimmed stress field by means of 2D numerical models, mainly
FEM, resulted by many essential conclusions about stress behaviour [1, 2, 3, 4]. The
development of 3D models that can simulate tooth pairs in contact, gear bodies and
transmission shafts, has offered more possibilities for the analysis and improvement of
gear strength calculation.
In [5] there was underlined by the investigation results, that 2D approach can’t
embrace actual stress field in a spur tooth fillet, that is more complex than 2D
simplification presents.
Parametric three-dimensional finite element analysis was used to characterize the
variation of thin-rimmed fillet stresses for various backup ratios [6]. Furthermore, the
correlation between the behaviour of stress field in thin-rimmed spur gears as predicted
by finite element analysis, and the behaviour of fatigue cracks in single tooth bending
tests was also described.
3D numerical analysis enabled the insight into the load distribution along the tooth
facewidth of thin-rimmed gear [7, 8], as well as the analysis of stresses in gear blank
elements.
The available literature shows that the tooth-root stress as a criterion for the tooth
strength evaluation, has been mainly the aim of research. The stresses that are induced
by the load at the rim of thin-rimmed gear, have been analysed less, regardless of fact
that the influence of complex gear body deformation including the rim, on the tooth
fillet and root stresses have been taken into consideration.
To avoid the geared rim fracture caused by insufficient radial thickness, the
analytical approach was given for the determination of maximum stress around the rim,
due to he force acting on one tooth [9].

65
 In [7] the rim stress was analysed at different positions for the gear with middle
web position, and in [8] it was found for the case of offset web position, that the
calculated thin rim stress overcome tooth-root one.
In this paper, thin rim of gear without web i.e. with fan shape hole, is considered
for the research into the state of stress. Parametric finite element analysis is performed
for the gear of chosen facewidth, in order to determine the variation in the tooth-root
and rim stress corresponding to various thin rim thickness. The correlation between the
stresses is accomplished by use of equivalent von Mises stress. The choice of
equivalent stress as relevant one, is based on the considered actual three-dimensional
spur tooth state of stress i.e. the presence of stress in direction of gear axis.

2 BASIC CONSIDERATIONS OF 3D FEM PINION-WHEEL MODEL

Geometrical model of pinion and wheel is based upon a solid pinion and thin-rimmed
wheel without web (Fig. 1). Gearing parameters of mating gears are: number of teeth
z1=z2=20; module m=10 mm; pressure angle α=20°; profile shift coefficient x=0;
facewidth b=100 mm.
For the rim thickness are adopted values of sR =3m, 2m, 1,5m and 1m that are
corresponding to thin rim, as proposed by ISO [9], and sR =4m that corresponds to
thick rim. The wheel facewidth value in all cases is b=10m.
The models of pinion and wheel in contact at the outer point of single pair tooth
contact, embrace the loaded tooth and the adjacent teeth next to it. Each gear model
angular sector has three teeth, but it corresponds to four teeth. Therefore, the effects of
the adjacent teeth were considered, and the influence of boundary surface in the
vicinity, on the fillet stress, was avoided.
The gears material properties and value of the loading torque are adopted: module
of elasticity E=2,1 ·105 N/mm2; Poisson`s ratio ν=0,3; loading torque T=376 Nm.
The load was defined by the torque simulated by tangential traction at the pinion
internal rim surface, with the rim thick enough to simulate solid gear (sR=4mn).
The base of pinion was constrained radially and axially, and in tangential direction
was left free. The described boundary conditions of pinion related to the load and
constraint conditions, were the same for all models under consideration.
The wheel angular sector was
fully constrained at the radial rim
surfaces; internal thin rim surface
was left unconstrained.
The contact between the pinion
and wheel was accomplished on the
engagement teeth surfaces with geo-
metrical contact line positioned ap-
proximately at the middle. The con-
tact width was estimated greater than
the real one, and in accordance with
[10] the width is w=(1,85~2) bH,
where bH is contact width of a solid Fig. 1. Geometrical model of gear pair for a solid
gear pair with the same gear parame- pinion mating with thin-rimmed wheel without web
ters, calculated by Hertz´s formula. (half facewidth model)

66
 The state of stress of spur gear was determined by means of FEM [11]. The pinion-
wheel gear models with the boundary conditions as described before, were meshed
with parabolic tetrahedron solid elements. In relation to the time required for the
calculation, the attention was devoted to the density of grid in areas of interest, that are
the surfaces the contact is accomplished through, the area of the loaded tooth fillet and
the rim surface under the loaded tooth. Considering the symmetry of the modelled
pinion-wheel system, one half of complete geometrical model was utilized, being the
other half replaced by imposing proper boundary conditions.

b
-12° Θ 3b/4
12° b/2
−
+

Fig. 2. The chosen positions in the gear radial and axial direction used for the determination of
equivalent stress area of rim surface under the loaded tooth and the adjacent spaces

The linear statics solver was used, as the stresses are the subject of investigation.
To detect frictionless contact in a model, the used software solver finds the element
free faces i.e. the faces that are on the outside of the mesh. The solver creates contact
elements if it finds an intersection between element faces and if the distance between
two faces is equal or less than a specified search distance.
The applied pinion-wheel model is able to embrace longitudinal tooth load
distribution resulting from actual tooth and foundation rigidity.

3 EQUIVALENT VON MISES STRESS OF TOOTH-ROOT AND RIM

The results of numerous researches confirmed complex stress field that occurs in a spur
tooth fillet and root area, and pointed to the difference between maximum tangential

67
stress component and equivalent von Mises stress, related to a gear facewidh value.
As the stress can be properly evaluated only by taking into account actual state of
stress in a spur gear, i.e. by respecting the stress in the direction of tooth axis,
equivalent stress is considered for the stress analysis and comparison.
Maximum equivalent stress at the tooth-root σeqmax is selected regardless of its
position at the tooth root and along the facewidth, while maximum equivalent stress of
rim σReqmax is established for inner rim surface, regardless of its position in radial and
axial direction. As tooth strength is evaluated considering the stress at tensile side of
the loaded tooth, maximum tooth-root stress at compressive side of the loaded tooth is
not analysed in this work. The variation of compressive tooth-root stress in relation to
the influence of rim thickness is well elaborated in the literature: rim thickness decre-
ment causes more severe increment of it, in comparison with tensile stress increment.
Maximum tooth-root and rim stress always appears approximately in the middle
cross section of tooth and rim width.
In order to develop equivalent stress area belonging to inner rim surface, several
gear radial and axial positions are chosen, as shown in Fig. 2. The range of angle Θ
measured to right (+) and left (-) from the loaded tooth plane of symmetry, covers the
rim surface under the loaded tooth and the spaces next to it. In axial direction along the
rim width, five equidistant positions are separated.

3.1 Comparison of Maximum Equivalent Stresses

On Fig. 3 maximum equivalent stress is presented going from thick-rimmed (sR/m=4)
towards thin-rimmed gear. The comparison of equivalent stress corresponding to the
tooth-root σeqmax and to the rim σReqmax, shows that the rim thickness actual value much
more effects the rim stress related to the tooth-root stress.
The tooth-root stress σeqmax firstly slightly decreases as the rim becomes thinner,
and then sharply increases. The deviation of tooth-root stress for the thinnest rim
(sR/m=1) from the thickest one (sR/m=3), is about 22%.
Maximum equivalent stress of rim σReqmax is strongly influenced by the rim
thickness decrement when the rim thickness is less than sR/m=3, but the rim stress
never overcomes the corresponding tooth-root stress value. The rim equivalent stress
for the thinnest rim under consideration (sR/m=1) is about eight times the rim stress for
the thickest rim (sR/m=3), and takes about 68% of the corresponding tooth-root stress.

40
MPa
σeqmax
σeqmax 30
σReqmax
20

10
σReqmax
0
0 1 2 3 4
sR/m
Fig. 3. The relation between maximum equivalent tooth-root σeqmax and rim stress σReqmax,
and the rim thickness

68
 24
MPa
22

20

18
14
sR/m=1
16
σReq
14

12
10
1,5
8

6
2
4
3
2
0
-12 -9 -6 -3 0 3 6 9 12
Θ °
Fig. 4. The distribution of rim equivalent stress σReq in radial direction,
in the middle cross section of the rim width (approximately maximum stress values)

4 EQUIVALENT STRESS AREA AT RIM SURFACE

As maximum equivalent stress of rim σReqmax appears always approximately in the
middle of rim width when axial direction is considered, the corresponding stress values
are separated to show the variation of maximum stress in radial direction, with the
variation of thin rim thickness (Fig. 4). The values of angle Θ where maximum
equivalent stress appears for certain rim thickness indicate stress radial position under
the loaded tooth and the spaces next to it. Going from the loaded tooth plane of
symmetry towards compressive side, the rim equivalent stress increment is more
expressed in comparison with the stress increment on tensile side, as the rim thickness
decreases.
As regards radial direction, the position of maximum equivalent stress on tensile
side, moves slightly towards the loaded tooth as the rim thickness decreases, and on
compressive side maximum stress appears approximately at the same position.
Equivalent stress area is presented on Fig. 5 and 6 for the rim thickness boundary
values of the chosen thickness range. At radial position of rim maximum equivalent
stress, the rim thickness decrement results with more uniform stress distribution along
the rim width, and for the thinnest rim the stress in the middle of rim width is about
14% greater than the stress at the rim edges.

69
MPa

2
σReq
1 100
0
80
-10
-5 60
50
0 40
5 20 b mm
Θ °
10 sr/m=3
0

a)

MPa σReq

-1010

-55

00
sr/m=3
Θ °
5-5

10
-10

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
0 20 40 50 60 80 100
mm
b)
Fig. 5. Equivalent stress area of rim surface under the loaded tooth
and spaces next to it (sr/m=3), in the form of wireframe (a) and contour map (b)

70
MPa
σReq
20
15
10
100
5
80
-10
-5 60
50
0 40
5 20 b mm
Θ ° 10 sr/m=1
0

a)

MPa σReq

-10
10

-55

Θ °

00

5-5

sr/m=1
10
-10

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
0 20 40 50 60 80 100
b mm
b)
Fig. 6. Equivalent stress area of rim surface under the loaded tooth
and spaces next to it (sr/m=1), in the form of wireframe (a) and contour map (b)

71
5 CONCLUSIONS
When the thickness of thin-rimmed spur gear rim becomes thinner, the stress at com-
pressive and tensile side of the loaded tooth root and rim under it, increases. The effect
of rim thickness on the rim stress is much greater than the effect on the tooth-root
stress. For the thinnest rim taken into account, rim equivalent stress takes about 68% of
tooth-root corresponding equivalent stress value; the rim stress never overcomes tooth-
root one.
Maximum equivalent rim stress always appears approximately in the middle of rim
width, being the stress no uniformity strongly influenced by the thin rim rigidity: the rim
thickness decrement results with more uniform stress distribution along the rim width.
The research into and analysis of effect that thin-rimmed gear teeth foundation has
on the tooth root and thin rim stress, suggest the necessity of further research into the
stress variation of a spur thin-rimmed gear, involving more complex gear structures than
the gear structure considered in this paper. The obtained results will be then the basis for
more general conclusions related to the strength evaluation of thin-rimmed gears.
References:
[1] Suzuki, T.; Chong, T-H.; Aida, T.; Fujio, H. & Kubo, A., Toot Fillet Stresses of Gear with
Thin Rim (1 st report), Bulletin of the JSME, Vol. 25, No. 204, 1982, pp. 1022-1029,
ISSN 0582-4206
[2] Chong, T-H.; Suzuki, T.; Aida, T.; Fujio, H. & Kubo, A., Tooth Fillet Stresses of Gear
with Thin Rim (2 nd report), Bulletin of the JSME, Vol. 26, No. 214, 1983, pp. 633-640,
ISSN 0582-4206
[3] Oda, S.; Nagamura, K. & Aoki, K., Stress Analysis of Thin Rim Spur Gears, Bulletin of
the JSME, Vol.24, 1981, pp. 1273-1280, ISSN 0582-4206
[4] Von Eiff, H.; Hirschmann, K. & Lechner, G., Influence of Gear Tooth Geometry on Tooth
Stress of External and Internal Gears, Trans. ASME: J. Mech., Transmiss. And Autom.
Des.,Vol. 112, 1990, pp.575-583, ISSN US 0738-0666
[5] Baret, C.; Pidello, A.; Raffa, F.A. & Strona, P.P., Stress Path along the Facewidth in Spur
Gears Fillet by 3D P - FEM Models, Proceedings of International PowerTransmissions
and Gearing Conference, ISBN 0791803066, ASME, Chicago, Dec. 1989, pp. 173-179
[6] Blazakis, C.A. & Houser, D.R., Finite Element and Experimental Analysis of the Effects
of Thin-Rimmed Gear Geometry on Spur Gear Fillet Stresses, Proceedings of Interna-
tional Gearing Conference, Fawcett, J.N., Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK National Gear Me-
trology, Univ. of Newcastle Upon Tyne, British Gear Assn, Newcastle, 1994, pp. 41-46
[7] Linke, H.; Mitschke, W. & Senf, M., Einfluβ der Radkorpergestaltung auf die Trag-
fähigkeit von Stirnradverzahnungen, Maschinenbautechnik, No.10, 1983, pp. 450-457,
ISSN 0025-4405
[8] Li, S., Deformation and Bending Stress Analysis of Thin – Rimmed Gear, Journal of
Mechanical Design, No.124, 2002, pp. 129-135, ISSN 01050-0472
[9] ISO 6336-1, Calculation of load capacity of spur and helical gear, Part 1: Basic princip-
les, introduction and general influence factors, 1996.
[10] Li, S., Gear Contact Model and Loaded Tooth Contact Analysis of a Three - Dimensional,
Thin - Rimmed Gear, Journal of Mechanical Design, No. 124, 2002, pp. 511-517, ISSN
01050-0472
[11] Lawry, H.M., I-DEASTM Master Series, On Word Press, ISBN 1-56690-200-2, Santa Fee,
1996.
Author: Marunić, Gordana, Prof. D. Sc., University of Rijeka Faculty of Engineering,
www.cadam.riteh.hr/whoiswho

72