Design of a gearbox

Brasales, J and Gualoto, D.

Mechatronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering in Applied Sciences,
Universidad TÈcnica del Norte, Ibarra, 100150-Ecuador

This paper describes a comprehensive computer-assisted process for the design of a speed reducer that includes
modeling, simulation and automatic drawing, using standards for the calculations of modules, shafts, walls, lubricants,
bearings, seals, etc. It covers everything from the most basic to the most complex. The Solidworks simulation program
was applied to develop a computer model of the mechanical structure.

PACS numbers:
Keywords: speed reducer, spur gears, helical.

I. INTRODUCTION The assembly will be powered by an electric motor and

will be used primarily to couple to vending machines, as
many of these require low input speeds.
Currently, there is a wide variety of industrial motors on
the market for a wide range of speeds, sizes and powers.
Despite this, it may happen that not all the requirements of a III. SPEED REDUCER
particular machine or installation are met with some of these
motors, since the diversity of these is very wide and the Mechanical speed reducers and gearmotors can be counted
operating conditions of these machines or installations may among the oldest inventions of mankind and even in these
vary depending on the nature of the project to which they are times of the 21st century they are still used in practically
to be used. every machine we can see, from the smallest reducer or
Furthermore, apart from the mission of reducing speed, it gearmotor capable of changing and combining rotation
may be necessary to obtain an increase in the torsional speeds in a wristwatch, changing speeds in a car, to huge
capacity of a system without varying its power. Both gearmotors capable of providing traction in cargo ships,
objectives can be achieved with the mechanism called "speed cement mills, large tunnel digging machines or in cane mills
reducer" or commonly known as "reduction box". These for the manufacture of sugar.
systems consist of gear trains, consisting mainly of a set of A geared motor has a directly coupled motor, the reducer
gears and their corresponding shafts that allow a wide range does not have a directly coupled motor. The simplicity of the
of transmission ratios to be achieved. There are several types operating principle and its degree of utility in a wide variety
of speed reducers. These are usually classified by the type of of applications is what has built the transcendence of this
gears or by the arrangement of the shafts. Regarding the first invention through the centuries [2].
classification, some of the best known reducers are: worm-
less speed reducers, gear reducers, cycloidal reducers,
planetary reducers, etc. [1]. IV. GEAR TRANSMISSION
For this project, the design of an eight-stage speed reducer
is proposed, consisting of two pairs of straight gears and two Gear transmission is a method of transmission by
pairs of helical gears and parallel shafts. mechanical interference in which two gear wheels touch each
other. They are the most commonly used type of
transmission, as they are suitable for a very wide range of
II. PROJECT OBJECTIVE power, speed and transmission ratios. In general and
regardless of the type of gears, the following advantages can
The object of this project is to develop a straight and be highlighted [1]:
helical cylindrical gear speed reducer, and to specify the 1 .Constant and load-independent transmission ratio
dimensions and characteristics of a reduction box that allows 2 .High reliability and long life
a reduction from a speed of 1750 revolutions per minute to a 3 .Reduced dimensions
speed of 25 revolutions per minute. 4 .High performance
5 .Reduced maintenance
6 .Ability to withstand overloads
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7 The following drawbacks are highlighted:

8 .High cost
9 .Noise generation during operation
10 .Very rigid transmission, does not absorb shocks or vibrations
The most common types of gear transmissions are cylindrical
gears, bevel gears and worm gears; and in this case, for convenience,
we are going to make a transmission using straight gears and helical
gears.

V.

VI. GEARBOX DESIGN

FIG. 1: Table 1. Number of stages of the reducer
A. Reducing System to get as close as possible to
the requested solid speed:
When designing a speed
reducer it is necessary to know
the so-called input data. These Z15 = 21
requirements are the input speed Z16 = 29
to the reducer and the output
speed. In this case they will be: Finally, according to the data
in Table (1), it is decided that for
Input speed :1750 rpm.
N1 the present design, an eight-stage
N2 output speed: 25 rpm. parallel-shaft reducer will be used
due to the high reduction ratio of
To determine the requested 1750 rpm - 25 rpm). This reducer
speed reduction, the following will be composed of straight and
gear ratio equation was used: helical gears because they have
good performance and enjoy
greater simplicity of design and
N1Z1 = N2Z2 manufacture, which has a direct
impact on a lower cost than the
(1) other proposed designs. In
addition, they will provide good
reliability and long life, essential
Two gear wheels were chosen, requirements for this design.
no less than 20 and no more than

1750 x 20
N2 = = 1000rpm
35
35, and using equation (1) we
B. Engage jes
calculated the output speed in the
first stage, obtaining the
following result: The design of gears mainly
Z1 = 20 takes into account the
Z2 = 35 transmission ratio to be obtained
as well as the power to be
We appreciate that the solid transmitted. As is known, eight
speed obtained is not the same as stages will be carried out to
the requested speed, therefore reduce the size of the gears, so 16
another stage must be carried out gears must be calculated.
again, and so on until reaching The type of material used in
the required speed. these parts is AISI 4340 steel.
Taking into account that for Consequently, we will have
the last stage of transmission a four pairs of straight gears and
different number of teeth was four pairs of helical gears; to
used in the gear wheels, these create the gears, Solidwors
being helical, in order to be able
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software toolbox tools were used. having the following as starting

data:
Gear 1
1. Spur gears. Number of teeth (N) =
20
Module (m) = 1
For the proper design of the
Dp = Pitch Diameter
gears, the relevant calculations
will be carried out using the
Dp = zm = 20 x 1 = 20mm
existing construction formulas,
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m
Stuff

FIG. 2: Spur Gears FIG. 3: Helical Gears

From = Outside diameter

De = Dp + 2m = 20 + (2 x 1) = 22m

Di = Inner diameter

Di = From - 2:h = 22 - (2 x 2; 2) = 17; 6mm

h = Tooth height

h = 2; 2:m = 2; 2 x 1 = 2; 2mm
Table 2. Straight Gear Calculations
hf = Height of the tooth root

hf = 1; 25.m = 1; 25 x 1 = 1; 25mm
2. Helical Gears.
hk = Tooth head height

hk = m = 1mm
For the design of helical gears, the same existing
construction formulas will be used, the only difference being
t = Step the formula for calculating the pitch diameter, because in this
type of gears there are two modules: the real module (m) and
t = m.3, 1416 = 1 x 3; 1416 = 3; 1416 the frontal module (Mf).
Number of teeth (N) = 20
e = Tooth thickness Module (m) = 1; 75
Helix Angle a = 20
3; 1416
e= = 1; 57
2
To obtain the Front Module the following formula is used:
b = Tooth width

b = (10a15).m =10 x 1 = 10

R = radius of the tooth root Mf =

R=0;3* m = 0; 3 x 1 = 0; 3 Co;s(20) = 1; 86

A= width of the face

Therefore, to know the primitive diameter we apply the
following formula:
Dp = Mf:z = 1; 86A = 10.m =10 x 1 = 10 x 20 = 37; 2 (2)
For the calculation of For 35, 21 and 29 tooth helical gears, formula (2) is used
gear 2, the same construction formulas will be used taking and for all other components the construction formulas in
into account the following starting data. Table (VI B 1) are used, obtaining the following results.
Number of teeth (N) = 20
Module (m) = 1
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FIG. 4: Table 3. Calculation of Helical Gears

FIG. 5: Housing
C. Box

The housing and its cover are made of grey cast iron by The axes are calculated under three criteria: establishing
sand mould casting. This method is fast and effective, torsional rigidity, avoiding fatigue failure and limiting lateral
although its surface finish is rough and is not relevant to the deflection. The limiting factor is torsional stiffness, however
function of the casing. It should only be machined to obtain this only affects the sections of the shaft where there is a
the surface finish characteristics specified in the plans in the torsional moment. So the rest of the axis is designed under
areas of contact with other elements, which are as follows: the other two parameters:
Holes on which the bearings sit Torsional rigidity is limited to 0.25o/m
The minimum safety coefficient x=3 is established for
Holes for axle caps
fatigue design.
Holes for lubricant inlet and outlet covers Lateral deflection is limited: On the axes it must be less
As mentioned and due to the arrangement of the axes, the than 1 mm/m. In gear jes is
casing covers the entire speed reducer and the cover covers a separation of less than 0.1 mm and a slope of at most
the upper part of it. Therefore, to assemble the reducer, the 0.03 mm is advisable.
shafts are inserted from one side and the parts are assembled
in the required order. Finally, the bearings are placed from
outside the housing and secured with the corresponding
spring washers. On the other hand, to make the necessary -
lubricant changes there are two inlet and outlet covers for the
same, one located on the cover of the housing and another on
the lower part of it [2].
The solution chosen with the reduction system is directly FIG. 6: Axle Configuration
related to that of the casing that will cover it, therefore, the
casing design process has been parallel to that of the
reduction system. The process followed to reach the final Although it is true that with this configuration of the axes
design will be shown below. The first proposed design was to the execution of the assembly of the reducer and the
select a reduction configuration in which the axes were maintenance of its parts is more complex than with other
arranged as follows: options, but with this arrangement of the axes a much more
Which led to the housing design shown below: compact configuration is achieved than with the other -
D. Transmission Axles alternatives.
The material used to manufacture the axles is AISI 4340
steel.
It is very important when manufacturing the housing to
ensure coaxiality and concentricity between the holes in
which the shafts and bearing seals will be housed. The
appropriate material for the construction of this type of boxes
is grey cast iron.
AND. Bearings

The bearings that predominate in this type of speed

reducers are the roller bearings
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FIG. 7: Transmission Axles [1]Nuez, D. (2016). Design of a reduction gearbox with
overpower protection clutch. Engineering. University of La
Laguna.
spherical plain bearings, these bearings are inherently self-
aligning and very robust. The two rows of rollers enable the
bearings to absorb high loads. Although we also find a [2] "How does a Reducer or Motor Reducer work?"
cylindrical roller thrust bearing. Potenciaelectromecanica.com,
In order to reduce friction on the rotating shafts, ball 2017. [Online]. Available:
bearings are used as supports in the housing. These are http://www.potenciaelectromecanica.com/calculation-of-a-
chosen once the axes have been designed and according to gearmotor.
their diameter the appropriate bearing standard is chosen [3]. [3] D. Montalvo Moya, "DESIGN OF A SPEED
The bearings that will be described below, all their REDUCER FOR DRIVING A ROTATING MACHINE",
parameters and geometries have been taken from the Engineering, Polytechnic University of Valencia, 2013
Solidworks software Toolbox tools.

FIG. 8: Spherical roller bearings

VII. CONCLUSIONS:

1. It is very important to correctly determine the number

of stages that the gearbox will perform, in order to achieve
the output speed for a specific machine.
2. Aspects regarding speed reduction boxes, how they are
built and their standards were investigated in general and
detailed form.
3. This paper presents the application of a reverse
engineering methodology to the design and modeling of a
spur and helical gear transmission reducer.
VIII. RECOMMENDATIONS

1. It is recommended to perform a complete dynamic

analysis on the reducer in the future, since the design of the
other elements is not available at this time.
2. Be precise when performing the relevant calculations,
to avoid errors when drawing the machine in the software
3. It is recommended that in order to make the preparation
of the project easier in general, the procedure should be clear,
as well as where you want to go; one of the ways is to
prepare your own project list and follow a personalized step-
by-step process.

IX. REFERENCES.