A hybrid analytical-numerical method based on Isogeometric Analysis for determination of time varying gear mesh stiffness

As an essential part of a drive-train system, a gearbox is one of the most widely used machinery devices. The characteristic transmission process of an involute gear is a major source of excitation for noise generation. Thus, a suitable simulation technique heavily supports a systematic optimization of the overall performance from the first development stage. But getting the best fit between accuracy and computation time for total system analyses is still a great challenge due to the complex contact conditions during power transmission. Therefore, the initial aim of this paper is to present an efficient and accurate method for evaluating the current state of the gear mesh stiffness. The calculation is based on the Isogeometric Analysis and for performance reasons combined with an analytical approach. The exact tooth design is derived from a gear shaping simulation. A possible mesh interference under load is considered as well as profile modifications. In a second step, the developed methodology is tested and validated against established research and software tools. On this basis, a comparison and discussion of some modeling details is finally given.