FEM stress analysis in hypoid gears

Stress analysis in hypoid gears by using finite element method is performed in order to develop simple equations for the calculation of tooth deflections and stresses. A displacement type finite element method is applied with curved, twenty-node isoparametric elements. A method is developed for the automatic finite element discretization of the pinion and the gear. The full theory of mismatched hypoid gears is applied for the determination of the nodal point coordinates on the teeth surfaces. The corresponding computer program is developed. By using this program the influence of design parameters and load position on tooth deflections and fillet stresses is investigated. On the basis of the results, obtained by performing a big number of computer runs, by using regression analysis and interpolation functions, equations for the calculation of tooth deflections and fillet stresses are derived. The advantages of the use of these equations in load distribution calculation in hypoid gears are shown.