Time-varying mesh stiffness calculation of spiral bevel gear with spalling defect

Spiral bevel gears often operate at high speeds and under heavy loads, which can easily lead to the occurrence of spalling faults on the tooth surfaces, particularly in cases of inadequate lubrication. In this study, we introduce an efficient and accurate numerical calculation method to determine the time-varying meshing stiffness (TVMS) of a spiral bevel gear pair with actual spalling faults, taking into consideration the effects of multi-tooth meshing and the flexibility of the gear flank. In parallel, a finite element model is established to verify the accuracy of the proposed method across various spalling parameters. We delve into the impact of spalling length, width, location, and shape. The results demonstrate that the TVMS values obtained from our proposed method align closely with those obtained using the finite element method. The range of TVMS reduction caused by the spalling fault is primarily determined by the spalling location and width. Moreover, the magnitude of TVMS decline is strongly associated with the spalling length. Furthermore, the clearances between two conjugated tooth surfaces change due to the presence of the spalling fault, resulting in a redistribution of contact forces on the same contact surface and other meshing tooth surfaces.