Testing of a Self-Loading Planetary Tapered Roller Drive for Propeller-Driven Ships

_ Mathematical modeling of a planetary tapered roller traction drive transmission with rolling contact normal forces varying according to output torque has previously been completed and indicated applicability to marine propulsion systems. This study uses the model to design and manufacture small-scale 3D-printed prototypes to investigate the accuracy of the model. Static tests verified a linear relationship between applied axial load and torque capacity. Dynamic tests demonstrated that such drives could use propeller thrust to extend torque capacity, although some limitations exist at smaller scales. Future work intends to explore large-scale metal prototypes and refine models for small-drive behavior during propeller speed ramp-up. Keywords propulsion; design (general); machinery (general)