Optimizing Weight in Gear Wheels with Different Filling Geometries

Gears are machine elements widely used in the industry. A gear mechanism can consist of two gears, or machines with many gears of different sizes can be used. Particularly when many gears are used, this significantly increases the weight and cost of the machine. With the advancement of technology in recent years, production methods have also developed, making it possible to manufacture parts with almost any geometry. In this study, utilizing the capabilities of advanced production methods, designs with triangular, square, and hexagonal geometries were made on the body of a spur gear to minimize the weight of the gear. To find the lightest gear that can work without damage, different designs with various edge lengths and fill thicknesses were modeled separately using the Solidworks software package. The finite element analysis of the modeled gears was performed using the ANSYS software package. As a result of the analyses, among the gears with three different designed geometries and hollowed bodies, the gear with a square profile achieved the lightest weight. Compared to the solid-bodied gear, a significant weight reduction of 63,65% was achieved with this designed gear.