A New Optimal Tolerance Allocation Approach in Gear Transmission Mechanisms Including a Dynamic Model

Abstract Tolerance allocation design of parts for the complex gear transmission system is difficult because of the coupling effect between the deviation propagation of parts in the assembling process and the dynamic performance in the working situation. In this paper, the contact mechanical behavior on the meshing surface, considering the deviation propagation of parts in the assembling process, is accurately described by using the point cloud contact detection algorithm. Then, the deviation propagation model of parts in a gear transmission system is proposed based on the vector loop approach, in which the contact deformation and the dynamic effects due to part deviations and loads are considered simultaneously. And a data-driven surrogate method is employed in the deviation propagation model to realize the rapid calculation of the dynamic performance for a gear transmission system with various deviations. Finally, a new tolerance allocation approach for various parts in the gear system is developed based on this deviation propagation model, in which the transmission accuracy of the gear system with various deviations induced by dynamic effects is taken as the optimized objective. The optimal tolerance zones are solved for various parts by using the particle swarm optimization algorithm, which is useful for the design of parts in gear transmission systems.