Pitting Load Capacity

of Helical Gears
Inuences of Load Distribution and
Tooth Flank Modications as Considered in a
New, DIN/ISO-Compatible Calculation Method.
Bernd-Robert Hhn, Peter Oster and Gregor Steinberger

Nomenclature
a
b

[mm]
[mm]

[]

(This article rst appeared in the Proceedings of

center distance
face width
helix angle

IDETC/CIE 2007 ASME 2007 International Design

mean value of mesh stiffness per

unit face width
transverse contact ratio

47, 2007 in Las Vegas.)

Engineering Technical Conference & Computers and

Information in Engineering Conference, September

cy

[N/mmm]

[-]

Fbt

[N]

Fbn

[N]

Ft

[N]

fCa

[-]

KA

[-]

normal transverse load in plane

of action
load, normal to the line of contact
transverse tangential load at
reference cylinder per mesh
component of equivalent
misalignment
application factor

KH
H

[-]

transverse load factor

KH
H

[-]

face load factor

Kv

[-]

T1

[Nm]

dynamic factor
torque at pinion

pC

[N/mm2]

[-]

H0
H

[N/mm2]

Hertzian contact stress at the

pitch point
gear ratio
nominal contact stress

H1
v

[N/mm2]

contact stress on pinion

[m/s]

ZB/D

[-]

ZE
ZH

[-]
[-]

[-]

tangential velocity
Single-pair tooth contact factor
for pinion wheel
elasticity factor
zone factor
helix angle factor

[-]

contact ratio factor

46
00

GEARTECHNOLOGY

May 2008

Management Summary
In experimental analyses, the pitting load capacity of
case-carburized spur and helical gears is determined in
back-to-back test rigs.
Included for testing are one type of spur gear and eight
types of helical gears, with tests for the determination
of inuences of varying load distribution, overlap ratio
and transmission ratio. The test results are presented
and evaluated on the basis of the pitting load capacity
calculation methods of ISO 6336-2/DIN 3990Part 2.
A new DIN/ISO-compatible calculation method for
pitting load capacity is presented. This new calculation
method analyzes helical gears more adequately than ISO
6336-2/DIN 3990Part 2, and has the ability to consider
tooth ank modications. The new calculation method is
applied to test results and gears of a calculation study. It
shows better agreement with the experimental test results
than the present ISO 6336-2/DIN 3990Part 2.
Introduction
Modern gears are designed with helical teeth to improve
their noise behavior and the pitting load capacity. Therefore,
a veried calculation method to determine the pitting load
capacity of helical gears is essential.
ISO 6336-2 and DIN 3990Part 2 calculate a higherendurance torque for helical gears than for spur gears of the
same size and material, but experimental research on the pitting
load capacity of helical spur gears is lacking (Refs. 2, 3).

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after the teeth were cut. The case depth conformed to Eht
0.15mn according to DIN 3990Part 5.
Measuring Gear Quality
The test gears were measured on a Her/Klingelnberg
EMZ 402 3D-coordinate measuring machine. The quality was
determined according to DIN 3960 by measuring the prole
along the involute and across the ank, as well as measuring
the pitch deviation and the true running. The quality of all test

120%
100%

80%
60%
40%

fghfhfv

Thus the research project FVA 284 I/II Helical Gear

(Ref. 10) was initiated to analyze the pitting load capacity
of helical gears, theoretically and experimentally. Spur and
helical gears of the same size and material batch were tested
to determine the inuence of the helix angle. The endurance
contact stresses were calculated according to ISO 6336-2/
DIN 3990Part 2, based on the experimentally determined
fatigue-endurable torques. The results are shown in Figure
1, which shows that the expected pitting load capacity of
H0
= 1,500 N/mm2 is only reached by the spur gears, not
H
by the helical gears. Consequently, the calculation methods
according to ISO 6336-2/DIN 3990Part 2 determine the
pitting load capacity of spur gears more accurately than for
helical gears.
In order to conrm these results, additional tests (Ref.
12) were conducted. These tests prove the main result of
FVA 284 I/II (Ref. 10)i.e., the calculated pitting load
capacity for helical gears is too high. Consequently, the
calculation of helical gears according to ISO 6336-2 has to
be reconsidered.
Optimum tooth ank modications for uniform pressure
distribution result in maximum pitting load capacity. Hence
the research project FVA 284 Ic analyzed the inuence of
several tooth ank modications on the pitting load capacity
of helical gears.
The theoretical part of this research project included
the development of a new DIN/ISO-compatible calculation
method to determine the pitting load capacity of gears,
especially helical gears. This new calculation method analyzes
helical gears more accurately than the existing ISO 6336-2/
DIN 3990Part 2 and includes the inuence of tooth ank
modications.
Test Program and Test Gears
One spur and eight helical gears were ground with
different tooth modications for varying load distribution.
Table 1 summarizes the main geometry and details on tooth
modications of spur gears Gk and the helical gears S0, Slk
and Stk.
The gear type Gk corresponds to the gear type of FVA
284 Ib (Ref. 12) and, except for a small lengthwise crowning
on the pinion, the reference gear of FVA 284 I/II (Ref. 10).
Hence this gear type is used to verify the results with the spur
gears of FVA 284/I and 284 Ib. The helical gear type S0 has
no modications, except for a small lengthwise crowning on
the pinion. Type Slk has a long tip relief on the pinion and
wheel to achieve uniform pressure on the line of contact. The
gear type Stk is modied with a generated relief and a short
tip relief for optimally uniform pressure distribution. The
necessary modications were determined according to the
calculation method in Reference 11, which is based on the
pressure distribution calculated with the program RIKOR G
(Ref. 8). The whole calculation is included in the program
RIKOR H (Ref. 7).
The test gears are made from case-hardened steel
18CrNiMo7-6. The gears were case-carburized and ground

20%
0%
reference

=0

= 14

dgvdfxchn

= 21

= 29

Figure 1Endurance contact stress of the spur and helical test gears
according to ISO 6336-2/DIN 3990Part 2 (Ref. 10).

Table 1: Gear geometry of the test gears

type Gk, S0, Slk and Stk
Test Type

Gk

S0

Slk

Stk

center
distance

mm

normal
module

mn

mm

4.5

4.25

number
of teeth

z1/z2

24/25

22/24

face width

mm

helix angle

29

addendum
modication
factor

x1

0.270

0.100

x2

0.266

0.077

da1

mm

119.4

117.7

da2

mm

123.9

127.3

dw1

mm

110.2

107.6

dw2

mm

114.8

117.4

normal
pressure
angle

20

transverse
contact ratio

1.5

overlap ratio

tip diameter
working pitch
diameter

112.5

27.6

1.0

tooth ank modication

generated
relief

no

no

no

yes

tip relief
pinion/wheel

short/
short

long/
long

short/
short

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May 2008

GEARTECHNOLOGY 47
00

gears averaged a value better than DIN 5.

All test gears had a ank roughness of Ra = 0.2 0.3 m.
Such a smooth ank roughness minimizes micropitting risk
and its inuence on the pitting load capacity.
Test Rig
All pitting tests were run in FZG back-to-back test rigs
with a center distance a = 112.5 mm (Fig. 2). These test rigs
have a closed-power circuit with helical slave gears. Both test
rigs are equipped with a speed controller in a range of n =
50 3,100 min-1. The helical hand of the slave and test gears
is designed to cancel the axial forces on each shaft.
Test Conditions
According to the test conditions in Reference 4, the tests
were run with constant load until the pitting area exceeded
4% of the active ank area of one tooth, or until a maximum
running time of 50106 load cycles on the pinion. All test gears
were run in for 6,000 load cycles on the pinion, with a normal
test pinion 1

torque measuring clutch

slave pinion 3

driving shaft

shaft 1

shaft 2

test wheel 2

slave wheel 4

load clutch

Figure 2FZG back-to-back test rig with a = 112.5 mm.

Table 2:
Main lubricant data of FVA reference lubricant
no. 3 + 4 % Anglamol 99
viscosity
kinematic
viscosity
dynamic
viscosity

at 40 C: v40

96 mm/s

at 60 C: v60

39 mm/s

at 80 C: v80

20 mm/s

at 40 C: 40

85 mPas

at 60 C: 40

34 mPas

at 80 C: 40

17 mPas

120%

100%

H1

80%

60%

fdsfasetfgd

40%

See Equation 1 on page 49.

20%

0%
Gk

S0

Slk

Stk

Figure 3Experimentally determined endurance contact stress H1 for

50% failure probability, according to ISO 63362.

00
48

contact stress of H0
= 1,000 N/mm2, and 18,000 load cycles
H
on the pinion with H0
= 1,200 N/mm2. The pinion speed was
H
-1
n1 = 100 min . Test lubricant was the FVA-referenced oil
No. 3 mixed with four percent Anglamol 99. Table 2 shows
the lubricant viscosity. The lubricant was injected in the gear
mesh with a temperature of 60C and a volume ow of Qe = 2
3 l/min. All tests were run with a driving pinion and driven
wheel. The pinion speed was n1 = 3,000 min-1. Consequently,
the circumferential speed at the pitch point was vt = 17.3 m/s
for type Gk and vt = 16.9 m/s for S0, Slk and Stk.
Evaluation of the Test Results
Figure 3 shows the contact stress H1 calculated according
to ISO 6336-2 and based on the fatigue-endurable torque for
50% failure probability. The results are shown in Figure 3.
Figure 4 shows the fatigue-endurable torques on the pinion
of the four gear typesGk, S0, Slk and Stkwhich have the
same transverse contact ratio of a = 1.5. In comparison to
the referenced spur gear Gk, the best modied helical gear
type Stk transmits approximately 32% higher torque, while
the endurance contact stress according to ISO 6336-2 is
11% lower. Without ank modications (gear type S0), the
increase of torque is about eight percent compared to the spur
gear reference; the endurance contact stress according to ISO
6336-2 is 19% lower.
Summary of test results:
Helical gears with equal transverse contact ratio transfer a
higher torque than spur gears.
For helical gears, the experimentally determined endurance
contact stress H is smaller than the value calculated
according to ISO 6336-2.
Tooth ank modications that give uniform stress
distribution increase the pitting load capacity.
New DIN/ISO-Compatible Calculation Method
Following is a practical calculation method. This method
is independent of a calculated pressure distribution, and
compatible with the actual ISO 6336-2/DIN 3990Part 2.
Since the maximum contact stress is approximated with
simple equations, the pitting load capacity can be determined.
It is planned to consider this calculation method in the new
ISO 6336-2 as method B.
In FVA 284 I/II, a calculation method was developed,
based on the knowledge of the local contact stresses. This
method is described in Reference 11.
The modernized calculation method presented here is
called RV II (Rechenverfahren II), and uses double-signed
variables like "H0
. The actual ISO 6336-2 uses no signed
H
variables; e.g., H.
Nominal contact stress "H0
.
H

GEARTECHNOLOGY

May 2008

denes the basic value "H0

used in calculation method II
H
(RV II):
The factors ZH, ZE and Z are identical to the same factors
in ISO 6336-2.

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Factor Z". According to ISO 6336-2, Z is calculated

with:

Z = cos

Z" =

1
cos

" H01/2 = p C Z Z " = Z H Z E Z Z"

Ft
u +1

d1 b
u

Equation 1.
140%

Based on the results of the research projects 284 I/II (Ref.

10), 284 Ib (Ref. 12) and the present research program, the
factor Z" is redened as

Z" =

1
cos

100%
80%

(2)

T1

Z = cos

120%

60%

Z" is an empirical factor, which takes the research results

for helical gears and theoretical thoughts into account. For
gears with only a small helix angle, the factor Z" should be
similar to the factor Z, according to ISO 6336-2. This factor
is valid for helix angles between 0 and 35. The factor Z" is
shown in Figure 5.
Contact stress "H. The contact stress "H is calculated
according to Equation 3. Compared to the nominal contact
stress "H0
, the contact stress "H considers stress increasing
H
inuences resulting from non-uniform load distribution,
additional dynamic force and so on.

"H 1/2 = Z"B/D "H0

KA K v K H KH

(3)

dsfsdygf

40%
20%
0%
Gk

S0

Slk

Stk

Figure
4Fatigue-endurable torque on pinion T1 of the tested gear types
Gk, S0, Slk and Stk.

1.2

ISO 6336-2
RV II, new calculation method

1.1
1.0

Z " xvc
0.9
0.8
0.7

The load factors KA, KV, KH and KH

are the same as in the
H
actual ISO 6336-1.
Factor Z"B/D. The single-pair tooth contact factor Z"B/D
considers that the relevant contact stress for pitting is not
necessarily that of the pitch point. With Equation 4, the factor
Z"B/D can be calculated to estimate the maximum contact
stress.

Z"B/D = Z B/D f ZCa 1, 2

(4)

With ZB/D according to ISO 6336-2 and fZCa1,2 according to

equations 5,6,7,8 or 9 (Table 3).
The factor ZB/D is from ISO 6336-2. The contact stress of
point B (inner point of single contact) is important for spur
gears. So for spur gears the factor ZB/D" is the same as the
factor ZB/D, according to ISO 6336-2. In this case the factor
fZCa1,2 is 1.0 (Table 3). Thus the calculation method for spur
gears remains unchanged.
Factor fZCa. The tooth ank correction factors fZCa1,2
for pinion and wheel consider the higher contact stress at
the beginning and the end of the path of contact for helical
gears, for the case where there are inadequate tooth ank
modications. Table 3 describes the determination of the
tooth ank correction factor.
The tooth ank correction factor fZCa depends on the
load and considers inadequate tooth ank modications
through comparison of the existing and required tooth ank
modications. Here only the amount of prole modications is
taken into account, but an adequate length of the modications

0.6
0

10

15

20

25

30

35

helix angle

Figure 5Helix angle factor Z"

Z B according to Equation 2 in comparison to
ZB according to ISO 63362.

Table 3: Determination of the tooth ank

correction factor fZCa1,2*
spur gears ( = 0 ),
with and without
modications:

fZCa1,2 = 1.0

helical gears ( > 0 ),

with and without
modications
(tip relief, root relief):
helical gears ( > 0 ),
with prole and lengthwise
modications,
calculated with a 3D-load
distribution program for working
load and operated at this load:
helical gears ( > 0 ),
with prole modications,
designed for working load and
operated at this load:
helical gears ( > 0 ),
without modications and without calculating fZCa 1,2 according
to equation (6):

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May 2008

fZCa1,2

(5)
Ca Ca0
Ca0

(6)
1.1 fZCa 1,2 1.2
Ca: effective amount of prole
modication
Ca0: tooth deection

fZCa1,2 = 1.0

fZCa1,2 = 1.1

(7)

(8)

fZCa1,2 = 1.2 (9)

GEARTECHNOLOGY 49
00

ISO 6336-2

120%

RV II, new calculation method

100%

80%

dfsfsfsa

H1 ''H1

60%

40%

20%

0%
Gk

S0

Slk

Stk

Figure 6Contact stress according to ISO 63362 and to the new

calculation method RV II.

2000

RV II, new calculation method

1800

ISO 6336-2

1600
1400
1200
T1 [Nm]

1000

is required. If the whole ank topology is to be considered, the

calculation method according to Reference 11 can be used.
For spur gears, the tooth ank correction factor fZCa1,2 is
1.0. Hence it is assumed that the contact stress of the inner
point of single contact (B) is higher than the contact stress of
the starting point (A) with double-tooth contact, which is the
usual case for practical spur gears.
If helical gears have no tooth modications or only
standard modicationslike tip or root reliefthe factor
fZCa1,2 is calculated according to Equation 6.
The value ranges from 1.1 to 1.2. For helical gears
with adequate tooth modications, which cause maximum
contact stress near the pitch circle, the factor fZCa1,2 is 1.0.
These adequate tooth modications are normally generated.
For helical gears with tooth modications designed for the
working load and operated at working load, the factor fZCa1,2
is 1.1. For helical gears without modications a tooth ank
correction factor fZCa1,2 = 1.2 can be estimated.
Existing and required prole modications. The amount
of prole modication Ca in Equation 6 is the actual prole
modication on the tooth ank in microns. Ca0 is the required
amount of prole modication in microns for having the
maximum contact stress around the pitch point, not at the
beginning or the end of the path of contact. The required
prole modication can be calculated according to the
manufacturers experience or recommendations, according to
Niemann/Winter (Ref. 6), Sigg (Ref. 9) or Equation 10.

800

dsfdsf

600
400
200
G

S7

S15

S22

S30

S37

Figure 7Permissible torque according to ISO 63362 and to the new

calculation method RV II.

Table 5: Permissible torque for HP = 1500 N/mm2 according to

ISO 6336-2 and to the new calculation method (RV II)

50
00

gear
type

fZCa1

ZB

ZB

T1,ISO6336 [Nm]

T1, RVII [Nm]

1.0

1.02

1.02

991

991

S7

1.01

1.01

1062

1044

S15

1.01

1.01

1182

1103

S22

1.0

1.0

1372

1171

S30

1.0

1.0

1675

1256

S37

1.0

1.0

1981

1287

GEARTECHNOLOGY

May 2008

Ca0 =

Ft / b
c

(10)

The factor Ca0 depends on the load for all recommendations.

According to Equation 10, the required prole modication is
calculated by the nominal tangential load Ft, the face width b
and the stiffness c, according to ISO 6336-1.
Applying the New DIN/ISOCompatible Calculation Method
The following contact stresses are calculated from the
fatigue-endurable torque. Figure 6 shows the contact stresses
on pinion H1 of the test gears according to ISO 6336-2, as
well as the contact stress "H1, as determined by the new
ISO-compatible calculation method RV II. Obviously the
calculation method RV II gives the same contact stress for the
spur gear as ISO 6336-2. However, for helical gears a higher
contact stress is calculated.
The contact stresses of the different gear types H1
according to ISO 6336-2 range in a spread of 11% of the
mean value. According to RV II, the contact stresses "H1
range in a spread of 2% of the mean value. Especially for
the helical gears with practice-relevant modications (Slk
and Stk), the calculated contact stresses (RV II) are nearly the
same as the contact stress of the spur gear.
Consequently the new calculation method RV II
corresponds better to test results than the ISO 6336-2
calculation method.

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Theoretical Study to Determine the

Inuence of Helix Angle on the Endured Torque
The following study estimates the permissible torque as a
function of the helix angle according to the new calculation
method. Therefore the contact stresses according to RV II for
six different gears (Table 4) were calculated. All gears have
the same center distance, face width, transverse pressure
angle, transverse module, number of teeth, transverse contact
ratio and constant tip diameter. The permissible contact stress
is the same as in ISO 6336-2.
The maximum endurable torque can be determined for
the condition where the contact stress according to the new
calculation method is equal to the permissible contact stress
according to ISO 6336-2:

"H = HP

(11)

A permissible contact stress of HP = 1,500 N/mm is

assumed for all gears. The load factors and fZCa1 are set to 1.0
(Kges = KA Kv KH KH
= 1.0 and fZCa1 = 1.0).
H
Consequently, it is assumed that all helical gears have
uniform load distribution, resulting from adequate ank
modications.
The calculated torque T1 on the pinion and the main factors
according to the new calculation method are printed in Table 5,
and the permissible torques are shown in Figure 7. Obviously,
the permissible torque increases with increasing helix angle.
In comparison to the spur gear (G), the helical gear S30, with
a helix angle of 30, has a 30% higher calculated torque.
Conclusions
The results of the experimental part of this research project
prove that the calculation of the contact stress according to
ISO 6336-2/DIN 3990Part 2 isnt accurate for helical gears.
Hence a new calculation method to determine the pitting
load capacity was developed. This calculation method is
compatible with ISO 6336-2/DIN 3990Part 2. It takes the
maximum contact stress into account and can be used as a
new method B. This calculation method, called RV II, treats
helical gears more precisely than ISO 6336-2, and is capable
of accounting for tooth modications. For spur gears the new
calculation method is equal to ISO 6336-2.

Frankfurt, 1998.
3. Haslinger, K. Untersuchungen zur Grbchentragfhigkeit
Prolkorrigierter Zahnrder. Dissertation TU Mnchen,
1991.
4. Hsel T. and J. Goebbelet. Empfehlungen zur Vereinheitlichung von Flankentragfhigkeitsversuchen an VerGteten
und Gehrteten Zylinderrdern. FVA-Merkblatt Nr. 0/5,
Frankfurt, 1979.
5. ISO 6336-2: Calculation of Load Capacity of Spur and
Helical gearsCalculation of Surface Durability (Pitting).
First edition, 1996.
6. Niemann, G. and H. Winter. Maschinenelemente Band II.
Springer Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, London, Paris
and Tokyo, 1989.
7. Otto, M. Ritzelkorrekturprogramm RIKOR H. FVAForschungsvorhaben 30/V, Heft 481, 2005.
8. Schinagl, S. Ritzelkorrekturprogramm RIKOR G. FVAForschungsvorhaben 30/IV, Heft 481, 2000.
9. Sigg, H. Prole and Longitudinal Corrections on Involute
Gears. Semi Annual Meeting of the AGMA, Paper 109.16,
1965.
10. Stahl, K. and O. Hurasky-Schnwerth. Experimentelle
und Theoretische Untersuchungen an Schrgstirnrdern.
FVA-Vorhaben 284 I/II, Heft 608, Frankfurt, 2000.
11. Stahl, K. Vorschlag fr eine Erweiterte Berechnungsmethode zur Grbchentragfhigkeit Einsatzgehrteter
gerad- und Schrgverzahnter Stirnrder. FZG-Bericht 2550,
Mnchen, 2000.
12. Steinberger, G. DIN-Vergleichstest zur Grbchentragfhigkeit gerad- und Schrgverzahnter Stirnrder. FVAVorhaben 284 Ib, Heft 688, Frankfurt, 2002.

Acknowledgments
The project Einuss der rtlichen Hertzschen
Pressung auf die Grbchentragfhigkeit einsatzgehrteter
Stirnrder was funded by the FVAForschungsvereinigung
Antriebstechnik e.V. (FVA 284 Ic).
References
1. DIN 3990, Teil 2: Tragfhigkeitsberechnung von Stirnrdern
- Berechnung der Grbchentragfhigkeit. Beuth Verlag Berlin,
1987.
2. Dbereiner, R. Tragfhigkeit von Hochverzahnungen Geringer Schwingungsanregung. FVA-Vorhaben 257, Heft 571,
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