Chapter – 3

Gearbox Design Formulation and Theory

Generally gearbox design calculation is depended upon the maximum torque

transmitted from the engine, known as transmission process. There are too many
components to become a gearbox, such as housing, shafts, gears, synchronizing
devices, collar, shifting mechanisms and etc. In this thesis, the helical gears in manual
gearbox is to be designed. Before calculation of desgin, formulation and theory about
gears are firstly to be explained.

3.1 Classification of Gears

The gears, also known as toothed wheels can be calssified as

1. According to the postion of axes of the shafts

The axes of the two shafts between which the motion is to be tranmitted.
They are divided into Parallel, Intersecting, and Non-intersecting and non-parallel.
The two parallel and co-planar shafts shown in Fig . They are known as Spur gears
and Spur gearing. These gears have teeth parallel to the axis of the wheel. The spur
gearing in which the teeth are inclined to the axis is known as helical gearing. There
are two types of helical gearing, known as single gearing and double gearing. The
object of double helical gear is to balance out the end thrusts that are induced in single
helical gears when transmitting load. The double helical gears are also known as
herringbones gears. The two non parallel or intersecting, but coplaner shafts
connected by gears are called Bevel gears.
2. According to the peripheral velocity of the gears

The gears according to the peripheral velocity of the gears, may be classified
as

Low velocity, Medium velocity and High velocity. The gears having less than 3 m/s
are low velocity gears and between 3 and 15 m/s are known as medium velocity. If
the velocity of gears is more than 15 m/s, these are called high speed gears.

3. According to the type of gearing

The types of gearing are known as External gearing, Internal gearing, and
Rack

and pinion.

4. According to the position of the teeth on the gear surface

The teeth on the gear surface may be Straight, Inclined and Curve.
3.2 Terms used in gear

When the two gears mesh, the smaller gear is called the pinion and the larger
one is the gear. The pitch circle diameters are denoted as D p and D g for the pinion
and gear.

Addendum circle limits the top of the gear tooth. Addendum circle diameter
(outside diameter) is denoted as Do .

The dedendum circle or the root circle is the curve of the intersection of the
root cylinder with a plane which is the perpendicular to the axis of the shaft denoted
as Di.

The angle between the line of action and the common tangent to the pitch
circle is called Pressure angle, ϕ.

3.2.1 Circular pitch, Pc

The circular pitch is the distance from a point on one tooth to the
corresponding point on an adjacent tooth measured on the pitch circle.

πD
Pc =
N

Where, D = pitch diameter

N = n o. of teeth
Module, m

Module is the pitch circle diameter in mm divided by the number of teeth.

D
m=
N

3.2.2 Angular velocity ratio (transmission ratio), V.R

The ratio of angular velocity of the pinion to the angular velocity of its
mating gear. It is inversely proportional to the number of teeth on the two gears, and
the pitch diameters.

rpm p N p D g
V . R= = =
rpmg N g D p

Where, rpm p= revolution per minute in pinion

rpm g = revolution per minute in gear

N p = no. of teeth on pinion

N g = no. of teeth on gear

3.3 System of gear teeth

The following four systems of gear teeth are commonly used in practice. 14°
Composite system, 14½° Full depth involute system, 20° Full depth involute system,
and 20° Stub involute system.

The 14½° composite system is used for general purpose gears. It is stronger
but has no inter - changeability. The tooth profile of this system has cycloidal curves
at the top and bottom and involute curve at the middle portion. The teeth are produced
by formed milling cutters or hobs. The tooth profile of the 14½º full depth involute
system was developed for use with gear hobs for spur and helical gears.
 The tooth profile of the 20° full depth involute system may be cut by hobs.
The increase of the pressure angle from 14° to 20° results in a stronger tooth, because
the tooth acting as a beam is wider at the base. The 20° stub involute system has a
strong tooth to take heavy loads.

14.5° 14.5° Full 20° Full 20° Stub

Composite Depth Depth Involute
Involute Involute
Addendum m m m 0.8m
Minimum 1.157m 1.157m 1.157m m
Dedendum
Whole depth 2.157m 2.157m 2.157m 1.8m
Clearance 0.157m 0.157m 0.157m 0.2m

Standard module series in Indian Standard are

Preferred s1, 1.25, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 25, 32, 40, 50

Second choice 1.125, 1.375, 1.75, 2.25, 2.75, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 18, 22, 28,
36, 45

3.4 Gear design

Gear tooth design involves primarily the determination of the proper pitch
and face width for adequate strength, durability and economy of manufacture.

In a gear design it is necessary to calculate strength check and dynamic

check. For the strength point of view, the smallest possible module and corresponding
face width are required to find. The Endurance force. Wear force and Dynamic force
are needed to find in the dynamic point of view. And then the required condition is
the Endurance force and Wear force are greater than the Dynamic force. This is the
summary of gear design to be calculated in next chapter.
3.5 Force in a gear mesh

Gear sets are used to transmit rotary motion and power from one shaft to
another. The magnitudes and directions of the tangential, radial and axial components
of gear forces are important because they act on the shafts that the gears are mounted
on and contribute to the forces acting on the bearings that support the shafts. Since the
conditions of static equilibrium will be used to determine bearing reactions, correct
directions for the gear forces acting on a shaft must be established.

In designing a gear, it is important to analyze the magnitude and direction of

the forces acting upon the gear teeth, shafts, bearings, etc. In analyzing these forces
are acting upon the central part of the tooth flank.

When the power from the engine is transmitted to the gearbox through the
clutch in manual transmission, thus there is a torque on the rotating shaft and its
equation is

Power
Torque = Rotational Speed

And then power is transmitted from the input shaft connected with flywheel
to the output shaft throught compound shaft. During these steps, gear teeth are rotated
its meching gear as the teeth of the pinion rotate the teeth of the gear. So power
transmission is involved again in the formation of torque durning rotating gear. The
becoming torque is the product of the force tangentially acting to the pitch circle of
the pinion. It is knowns as tangential force denoted as F t. It is force directly exerted
on the teeth of the gear by the teeth of the pinion.

The normal force is distributed along the contact line, which moves as the
gears rotate. Because of static equilibrium, the sum of this distributed force must
equal the torque applied to the gear. Although the force is distributed, the operating
pitch circle can be taken as an approximation to the average location for the point of
contact.

The tangential force is tangent to the operating pitch circle in the transverse
plane. The moment generated by the tangential force at pitch circle equals the applied
torque.Considering the projection of the normal force in the transverse plane, the
tangential force is one component; the other component is the radial force.
Considering the axial plane, the axial force is one component of the force. The other
component is the tangential force. Lastly, the normal force is the vector summation of
these three components, with its magnitude.

In gearing, the transmitted force acts at the pitch line with a velocity. The
pitch line velocity is derived from the basic relationship, v=Rw, for a point moving in
a circle.

π D p rpm p
v=
60

Where, D p = the pinion diameter in meter

v = the pitch line velocity in meter per second and

rpm p = rotational speed for the pinion in rpm.

3.5.1 Transmitted force

The transmitted force is acts as a tangential force F t and its formula is

Mt
Ft = Dp
2

Where, F t = the transmitted force in newton

M t = the maximum torque in newton metre

D p = the pinion diameter in meter

3.5.2 Radial Force

The radial component of the gear force is in the direction directed to the gear
centre and applied at the pitch point. This is because the gear force is a compressive
force, always pushing into gear teeth. The radical force F r is calculated in helical
gearing by using right triangle relation with known F t value.

F r = F t tan θ

Where, θ = the pressure angle of the tooth form

 For helical gear, the normal force F n can be formulaed from the known F t
by using the right triangle relation.

Ft
Fn =
cos θn cos φ

3.5.3 Axial Force

The force that acts in the Z-axis direction of the shaft rotating with gear is
known as Acial force or Thrust.

F a = F t tan φ

Where, φ = the angle of the tooth form

F a = the axial force and

F t= the transmitted force

3.6 Stress analysis of gear teeth

This is the stress in the area that does not come into contact when the gear
teeth mate each other. The calculation of bending stress was first presented by Wilfred
Lewis in 1892 which is still recognized as the basis for gear tooth bending stress
analysis. According to Juvinall and Marshek [14] Lewis made following assumptions

1. The full load is applied to the tip of a single tooth

2. The radial component of the force is negligible

3. The load is distributed uniformly across the full-face width

4. Forces which are due to tooth sliding friction are negligible

5. Stress concentration in the tooth fillet is negligible.

Willferd Lewis developed the equation for the stress at the base of the
involute profile, which is called the Lewis equation. If the pitch diameter is known,
the following form of the Lewis equation may be uesd.

2
1 S all k π
( 2
) = cos φ
m y all Ft
Where, y = Lewis form factor based on virtual or formative number of teeth, function
of the tooth shape and the number of teeth on the gear

m = module in plane rotation

Sall = Allowable stress

φ = Pressure angle

In design of gear strength, the pitch diameter is either known or unknown.

In both cases the smallest possible module will be used for the most economical
design. Generally, when the diameters are known, design for the largest number of
teeth is possible but when the diameters are unknown, design for the smallest pitch
diameters is possible. The minimum number of teeth, N is usually limited to 15.

For ordinary design conditions, the face width (b) for spur gear is limited to
a maximum of four times the circular pitch and the face width (b) for helical gear is
six times the circular pitch.

b = k Pc

Where, k≤ 4 for spur gear and k ≤ 6 for helical

So in the Lewis Equation, k = 4 for spur and k = 6 for helical

If the pitch diameter is unknown condition, the describing Lewis equation is

applied

2Mt
Sall = 3 2
m k π yn

Where, M t = Torque on weaker gear

n = Number of teeth on weaker gear

3.6.1 Allowable tooth stress

The allowable stress for helical gear is taken approximately equal to the
endurance limit of the material in released loading, corrected for stress concentration
effects and multiplied by a velocity factor.

Sall =So ×V . F
 5.6
Where, V . F=( )
5.6+ √ v

So = Endurance stress

V = pitch line velocity in meter per second

The So values for cast iron and bronze are 8000 psi (55 MN /m2 ) and 12000
MN
psi (83 MN /m2 ) respectively. Carbon steel ranges from about 70 to 350 2
m
depending upon their carbon content and degree of heat treatment. In general, So may
be taken as approximately one-third of the ultimate strength of the material.

The amount of force that can be transmitted to a gear tooth is a function of

the So y product (load carrying capacity) as shown by the Lewis equation. For two
mating gears, the weaker will have the smaller so y value. When two mating gears are
to be made of the same material, the smaller gear (pinion) will be the weaker and
control the design.

3.6 Dynamic effect

After determining the design from the strength point of view, it is necessary
to check the dynamic effect

It depend on the

1. In accurate in tooth cutting

2. Spacing of gears
3. Misalignment in mounting
4. Tooth deflection

3.6.1 Endurance Force

The endurance load ( F o) is based on the Lewis equation without a

velocity factor. The endurance load is calculated by the following equation.

F o=So b y π mcos φ

The limiting endurance load must be equal to or greater than the dynamic load ( F d).
3.6.2 Wear Force

It is also known as Buckingham Equation. To insure the durability of a

gear pair, the tooth profile must be have excessive contact stress as determined by the
wear load, F w

Dpb Q Kw
F w= 2
cos φ

Where, D p = Pitch diameter or smaller gear (pinion)

D g = Pitch diameter of larger gear (gear)

K w = Load stress factor for fatigue

n g = Number of teeth on pinion

n p = Number of teeth on gear and

Q = Ratio factor,

Ratio factor is calculated by,

2 Dg
Q=
Dg + D p

Load stress factor is computed by following equation.

[ ]
2
S sin ∅ n 1 + 1
Kw = es
1.4 E p Eg

tan ∅ n = tan ∅ cos φ

Where, Ses = Surface endurance limit of a gear pair

E p = Modulus of elasticity of pinion material

 E g = Modulus of elasticity of gear material

∅ = Pressure angle

φ = Helix angle

K w = Load stress factor

The surface endurance limit may be estimated from:

Ses = (2.75× BHN) – 70

Where, BHN = Average Brinell hardness number of gears

The Wear load F w is an allowable load and must be equal to or greater than the
dynamic load, F d.

3.6.3 Dynamic Force

Inaccuracies of the tooth profiles, spacing, misalignment in mounting and

tooth deflection under load result in velocity changes which produce dynamic forces
in the teeth greater than the transmitted force.

The dynamic analysis, as proposed by

Fd =
[ 21 v ( bC cos 2 φ+ F t ) cosφ
21 v + √ b C cos φ+ F t
2
] + Ft

Where C = Dynamic factor, N /m

F d = Dynamic force

F t = Transmitted force

v = The pitch line velocity

φ = Helix angle

b = Face width

The dynamic load must be less than the allowable endurance load F o.