Study on Wear Characteristics Evolution of Helical Gear With Linear Initial Defect

Abstract The initial defects have greatly affected the gear transmission under harsh working conditions in the fields of wind power and ships. The influence of linear initial defects on the evolution of wear characteristics of helical gears was studied. The laser marking device was used to process the linear initial defect along the tooth width direction, and the gear without initial defect was used for comparison. It can be concluded that the linear initial defect changed the meshing state of the gear tooth, and greatly shortened the normal wear life of the gear, the normal wear life of the gear is shortened by about 45%, and the wear rate in the stable wear stage is increased by about 56%, a great deal of pitting corrosion and plastic flow on the tooth surface occurred in the pitch circle position of the defective gear. In addition, the lubrication condition deteriorated in the later period caused by lubricating oil pollution and the hard particles falling off the gearbox bearings entered the meshing surface and the emerged crack, which further accelerated the wear process of gear.