Experimental and Numerical Investigations of Vibration Signatures in Damaged Gear Systems

Current on-board condition monitoring systems for transmission systems often fail to provide sufficient time between warning and failure in order to implement the safety procedures. On the other hand, inaccurate interpretation of operational conditions may result in false alarms leading to unnecessary repairs and downtime. The early detection of incipient failure in a transmission system is of great practical importance as it permits scheduled inspections without costly shutdowns and indicates urgency and location for repair before any catastrophic failure occurred. The major objective of this paper is the numerical and experimental investigations of vibration signatures due to localized multiple teeth damages in a gear transmission system. Experimental results from a gear set with controllable damage are compared with those based on numerical simulations. General and specific conclusions are drawn based on the comparisons of the results.