Mixed Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication With Three-Dimensional Machined Roughness in Spiral Bevel and Hypoid Gears

Spiral bevel and hypoid gears are key components widely used for transmitting significant power in various types of vehicles and engineering machineries. In reality, these gear surfaces are quite rough with three-dimensional (3D) topography that may significantly influence the lubrication formation and breakdown as well as components failures. Previous spiral bevel and hypoid gears lubrication studies, however, were limited mostly to cases under the full-film lubrication condition with smooth surfaces. In the present study, a comprehensive analysis for gearing geometry, kinematics, mixed lubrication performance, and friction and interfacial flash temperature in spiral bevel and hypoid gears is developed based on a recently developed mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) model that is capable of handling practical cases with 3D machined roughness under severe operating conditions and considering the effect of arbitrary entrainment angle. Obtained results from sample cases show that the simulation model developed can be used as an engineering tool for spiral bevel and hypoid gears design optimization and strength prediction.