Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Quasi-Static System Level Behavior of Planetary Gear Sets

This study presents a unique experimental methodology that synchronously measures various quasi-static responses of a simple four-planet planetary gear set, namely, planet load sharing, overall transmission error (OTE), and floating sun gear orbits. Strain gauges mounted directly on the planet pins were used to monitor the load shared among the planets, which is a crucial design criterion for durability and performance. High-precision optical encoders were used to measure the OTE of the gear set to explore its diagnostic value in identifying system errors. Radial motions of the floating sun gear, which are critical to the self-centering and load sharing behavior of the gear set, were monitored using magnetic proximity probes. The influence of various design parameters and operating conditions such as planet mesh phasing, carrier pin position errors, gear tooth modifications, and input torque on the system’s response will be investigated by performing an extensive set of experiments in a repeatable and accurate manner. Finally, these experimental results will be recreated theoretically using the static planetary load distribution model of Hu et al. (2018, “A Load Distribution Model for Planetary Gear Sets,” ASME J. Mech. Des., 140(5), p. 53302) to not only validate the model but also comprehend the measured behavior.