Case studies on finite element method for performance analysis of polymer-based gear applications

Abstract

Stress analysis is a practical tool to evaluate the gear behavior under dynamic loading. Stress concentration sites and the regions prone to failure or fracture can be determined, based on the gear material and the loading intensity. The stress analysis of polyacetal gears was assessed by finite element methods (FEM), and the results were compared with analytical models. In addition, the contact stress obtained by FEM was used to justify the gear failure mechanisms. The contact stress for Hertz model was lower than that of FEM, due to the different maximum contact stress locations in the two models. The microimages of the failed teeth showed signs of tooth cracking at the pitch due to high normal pressure, as revealed by FEM, and sliding reversal, at lower torques. The increase of load level augmented thermal wear and material softening, leading to severe tooth thinning and tooth breakage, respectively, at the final stage. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.