Asynchronous contact modeling incorporating edge effects: Application to gear systems

Abstract

Many mechanical systems involve multiple interacting contact surfaces, where interference can significantly alter intended conditions. In gear transmissions, continuous meshing depends on coordinated multi-tooth engagement. Surface deviations and operational disturbances may induce asynchronous contact, modifying meshing behavior and load distribution. This study establishes a modeling framework to characterize asynchronous contact, explicitly incorporating multiple surface interference mechanisms. The model employs surface gap to characterize surface interactions, defining an initial contact state to quantify interference. The core of the contact algorithm is an iterative procedure that adjusts deformation to match the contact force under multi-surface interference conditions. Each contact region is treated as a complete or incomplete elliptical contact, determined by local profiles and proximity to surface boundaries. Cylindrical contact cases are simulated and validated through finite element analysis, while gear transmission analyses are conducted based on the developed model. Results reveal that micrometer-scale asynchronous contact induces substantial load imbalance, with local load deviations up to an order of magnitude higher than those in adjacent regions, indicating the extreme sensitivity of multi-surface contact systems to minor surface deviations.