Gear transmission noise: problem analysis and solution from engagement to air excitation

In the field of industrial applications, the gear slew drives designed and produced by U-TRSM play a key role in many machinery and equipment due to their excellent performance and near-perfect craftsmanship in strict accordance with industry standards. However, even though the design has been perfected, in actual use, the noise problem follows, which undoubtedly brings a certain degree of trouble to the user experience and the stable operation of the equipment.

For this reason, U-TRSM has invested a lot of time and energy in in-depth research. By monitoring the operation status of the gear slew drive in all aspects, and combining theoretical analysis with comparison of actual cases, the researchers finally succeeded in unravelling the mystery of the noise generated by the gear slew drive, and found a practical solution. This result will not only help U-TRSM to further improve the quality of its products, but also bring a better and quieter experience for the majority of users.

Engagement-related factors

Friction and direction change: gears in the meshing process, there is relative sliding between the teeth, which will inevitably produce friction.

Mesh impulse: when gears mesh, due to the interaction of the teeth, in addition to friction, it will generate mesh impulse. Especially in the case of high speed and heavy load, the mesh impulse will be more obvious, the instantaneous change and interaction of these forces will trigger the vibration of the gear system, thus generating noise.

Vibration and air factors

Gear vibration: gears in the operation process, due to manufacturing accuracy, installation errors, load changes and other reasons, will inevitably produce vibration. This vibration is one of the important root causes of noise.

Gear transmission noise solutions

Solutions to meshing problems

Optimisation of gear design: reasonable selection of gear modulus, number of teeth, tooth shape and other parameters, the use of appropriate modification coefficients, in order to reduce the sliding coefficient when meshing, reduce friction. For example, in some high-precision transmission occasions, the use of modified gears to make appropriate corrections to the tooth shape, such as tooth top trimming, tooth root trimming, etc., can effectively improve the meshing state of the gear teeth and reduce the meshing impulse.

Improvement of manufacturing accuracy: strictly control the processing accuracy of gears, reduce tooth shape error, tooth pitch error, tooth direction error and so on. High-precision gears can make meshing smoother and reduce sudden changes in friction and meshing shocks caused by manufacturing errors. For example, the use of advanced processing technology and equipment, such as CNC gear grinding machine, high-precision gear hobbing machine, etc., to improve the processing accuracy of gears.

Selection of suitable lubricant: according to the working conditions of gears, select the lubricant with good lubrication and anti-wear properties. The appropriate lubricant can form a good oil film on the surface of the gear teeth, reduce friction, reduce wear, but also play a certain role in buffering, reduce the mesh impulse. For example, for high-speed heavy-duty gear transmission, can choose extreme pressure lubricants, which can still maintain good lubricating properties at high temperature and high pressure.

Solutions for vibration and air problems

Improve the stability of the gear system: reasonable design and selection of gear shafts, bearings and other components to improve their stiffness and stability and reduce the vibration of gears. For example, adopt suitable bearing type and arrangement to increase the stiffness of the bearing and reduce the deformation of the gear shaft. At the same time, carry out dynamic balance tests on the gear system to ensure that it maintains a good balance during operation and reduces vibration.

Adopt vibration and noise reduction measures: in the structural design of the reducer, take some vibration and noise reduction measures. Such as setting up damping materials in the gearbox to absorb the energy generated by gear vibration and reduce the spread of vibration. The surface of the gearbox is wrapped with sound insulation materials to prevent the spread of noise.

Optimise the internal structure of the reducer: reasonable design of the ventilation structure inside the reducer, so that the air can circulate smoothly and reduce the pressure fluctuation produced by the air due to excitation. For example, set up reasonable vents on the reducer, install ventilation fans, etc. to improve the air flow state and reduce the noise generated by air expansion and compression.

The above is U-TRSM summarised on the gear transmission noise causes and solutions. In the complex system of industrial machinery operation, the gear transmission is a key link, and its operating status is directly related to the efficiency and stability of the equipment. U-TRSM has been focusing on gear transmission technology research and development and optimisation, in the gear slew drive product design and manufacturing has accumulated deep experience, if you still have questions about this, please contact us.