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Advancements in Mechanical Power Transmission and Its Elements

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A special issue of Machines (ISSN 2075-1702). This special issue belongs to the section "Electrical Machines and Drives".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2025) | Viewed by 17376

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gang Li

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Guest Editor

Michael W. Hall School of Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA
Interests: gear design; machinery; advanced control theory; life-cycle assessment; mechatronics; control; mechanism design; wear; dynamics; vibration; model-based testing; fault diagnosis; fault detection; automatic control; condition monitoring; condition-based maintenance; machine learning; artificial intelligence; applied artificial intelligence; deep learning

Prof. Dr. Weidong Zhu

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Guest Editor

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
Interests: dynamics; vibration; control; structural health monitoring; renewable energy; metamaterials; infinitely variable transmission

Dr. Yawen Wang

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Guest Editor

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
Interests: gear noise/vibration; structural dynamics; vibro-acoustics; active noise and vibration control; automotive NVH (noise, vibration & harshness); electro-mechanical system dynamics; data-driven condition monitoring and prognostics
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Prof. Dr. Jing Wei

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Guest Editor

College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China
Interests: gear transmission system design theory; drivetrain design technology; gear reliability; gear manufacturing; electromechanical transmission; advanced control
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mechanical power transmission plays a pivotal role in various industries, enabling the efficient transfer of power from a source to a driven load. The continuous advancement of technologies and innovative elements in this field has revolutionized the performance, reliability, and sustainability of power transmission systems.

This Special Issue aims to collate research that addresses the recent developments and emerging trends in mechanical power transmission, focusing on the advancements in its elements and the integration of novel technologies. It seeks to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers and industry professionals to share their knowledge, insights and experiences in this pivotal area.

Potential subtopics for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

Next-generation Gearing Systems:

Design optimization of gears for improved efficiency and noise reduction.
Advanced materials and manufacturing techniques for high-performance gears.
Advanced tooth contact analysis and dynamic analysis of gear systems.
Lubrication of gear systems.

Bearings and Rolling Element Technologies:

Novel bearing designs for enhanced load capacity and reduced friction losses.
Application of advanced materials in bearings for increased durability and reliability.
Development of smart bearings with condition monitoring capabilities.

Innovative Drivetrain Designs:

High-strength materials and composite technologies for improved drivetrain reliability performance.
New control strategies for drivetrain.
Advancements in e-drive systems for electrical vehicles to enhance efficiency.
Integration of smart sensors and IoT for real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance.

Cutting-edge Couplings and Clutches:

Flexible coupling designs for misalignment compensation and vibration dampening.
Smart clutches and brakes with precise engagement and disengagement capabilities.
Electromagnetic couplings and clutches for efficient power transmission control.

Dr. Gang Li
Prof. Dr. Weidong Zhu
Dr. Yawen Wang
Prof. Dr. Jing Wei
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Machines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

gears
bearings
drivetrain
clutches
dynamic analysis
control
condition monitoring
lubrication

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 4205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Method of Dynamic Modeling and Robust Optimization for Chain Transmission Mechanism with Time-Varying Load Uncertainty

by Taisu Liu, Yuan Liu, Peitong Liu and Xiaofei Du

Machines 2025, 13(2), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines13020166 - 19 Feb 2025

Viewed by 379

Abstract

Time-varying driving loads and uncertain structural parameters affect the transmission accuracy of chain transmission mechanisms. To enhance the transmission accuracy and placement consistency of these mechanisms, a robust optimization design method based on Karhunen–Loeve expansion and Polynomial Chaos Expansion (KL-PCE) is proposed. First, a dynamic model of the chain transmission mechanism, considering multiple contact modes, is established, and the model’s accuracy is verified through experiments. Then, based on the KL-PCE method, a mapping relationship between uncertain input parameters and output responses is established. A robust optimization design model for the chain transmission process is formulated, with transmission accuracy and consistency as objectives. Finally, case studies are used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Thus, the transmission accuracy of the chain transmission mechanism is improved, providing a theoretical foundation for the design of chain transmission mechanisms under time-varying load uncertainties and for improving the accuracy of other complex mechanisms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Mechanical Power Transmission and Its Elements)

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26 pages, 6335 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Nonlinear Dynamics of a Gear Transmission System Considering Effects of the Extended Tooth Contact

by Fulin Liao, Xingyuan Zheng, Jianliang Huang and Weidong Zhu

Machines 2025, 13(2), 155; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines13020155 - 17 Feb 2025

Viewed by 389

Abstract

Considering the elasticity of gear solid bodies, the load applied to gear teeth will force theoretically separated gear teeth to get into engaging state in advance. This phenomenon is named as the extended tooth contact (ETC). Effects of the ETC directly influence the time-varying mesh stiffness of gear pairs and subsequently alter nonlinear dynamic characteristics of gear transmission systems. Time-vary mesh stiffness, considering effects of the ETC, is thus introduced into the dynamic model of the gear transmission system. Periodic motions of a gear transmission system are discussed in detail in this work. The analytical model of time-varying mesh stiffness with effects of the ETC is proposed, and the effectiveness of the analytical model is demonstrated in comparison with finite element (FE) results. The gear transmission system is simplified as a single degree-of-freedom (DOF) model system by employing the lumped mass method. The correctness of the dynamic model is verified in comparison with experimental results. An incremental harmonic balance (IHB) method is modified to obtain periodic responses of the gear transmission system. The improved Floquet theory is employed to determine the stability and bifurcation of the periodic responses of the gear transmission system. Some interesting phenomena exist in the periodic responses consisting of “softening-spring” behaviors, jump phenomena, primary resonances (PRs), and super-harmonic resonances (SP-HRs), and saddle-node bifurcations are observed. Especially, effects of loads on unstable regions, amplitudes, and positions of bifurcation points of frequency response curves are revealed. Analytical results obtained by the IHB method match very well with those from numerical integration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Mechanical Power Transmission and Its Elements)

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20 pages, 3080 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Active–Passive Training Control Strategies for Upper Limb Rehabilitation Robot

by Yongming Yang

Machines 2024, 12(11), 784; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines12110784 - 6 Nov 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 876

Abstract

Due to accidents, upper limb movement disorders have become increasingly common. Training can help restore muscle strength and rebuild neurological function. However, the existing single mode has limitations in adapting to the training needs of different rehabilitation stages. Therefore, this paper conducts research on active–passive training control strategies for an upper limb rehabilitation robot. It establishes an upper limb kinematic model based on the Lagrange method and builds a man–machine integration dynamics model for upper limb rehabilitation in MATLAB (R2016a)/Simulink. A design active controller, passive controller, and switching controller based on PI and feedforward compensation strategies are proposed to improve training control accuracy. The output moment of the system during active training is planned to ensure the safety and stability of the training process. By utilizing neural networks to train sample data during rehabilitation training, the fuzzy rules and membership functions in fuzzy intention recognition algorithm are optimized to improve the accuracy of intention recognition during training. By adopting the independently developed experimental platform for the upper limb rehabilitation robot, active–passive training, intention recognition, and training mode switching are achieved. The results show that the active and passive training processes are smooth, the training intention recognition is accurate, and the switching between active and passive training modes is steady. This verifies the feasibility and effectiveness of the established mathematical model in upper limb rehabilitation training. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Mechanical Power Transmission and Its Elements)

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15 pages, 2095 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Efficiency of Bevel and Hypoid Gears—Test Rig Development and Experimental Investigations

by Lorenz Constien, Martin Weber, Josef Pellkofer and Karsten Stahl

Machines 2024, 12(9), 647; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines12090647 - 15 Sep 2024

Viewed by 1659

Abstract

The efficiency of bevel and hypoid gears is, alongside load capacity, one of their most important design criteria. To consider the efficiency of bevel and hypoid gears during the development and design process, validated calculation methods based on experimental investigations are necessary. However, the isolated experimental investigation of the load-dependent power losses of bevel and hypoid gears has not been adequately investigated, as most of the experimental investigations consider the complete gearbox. This paper presents a test rig that allows for the experimental investigation of the efficiency of bevel and hypoid gears with a measurement uncertainty of the efficiency of

∆ η \leq \pm 0.08 %

according to the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM). Using the developed test rig, experimental investigations on the efficiency behavior of bevel and hypoid gears regarding the influence of the axial offset, driving direction, and microgeometry are carried out for different operating points varying in circumferential speed and load. This paper discusses the methodology and the first experimental results of a study on the efficiency of bevel and hypoid gears in detail. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Mechanical Power Transmission and Its Elements)

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19 pages, 10691 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Semi-Analytical Loaded Contact Model and Load Tooth Contact Analysis Approach of Ease-Off Spiral Bevel Gears

by Yuhui Liu, Liping Chen, Xian Mao and Duansen Shangguan

Machines 2024, 12(9), 623; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines12090623 - 5 Sep 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1776

Abstract

This paper presents an innovative and comprehensive methodology for loaded tooth contact analysis (LTCA) of spiral bevel gears, integrating ease-off surface computation with high-precision virtual generating tooth surfaces. The methodology integrates an error-sensitivity analysis model with a semi-analytical LTCA model for spiral bevel gears based on ease-off surfaces, developed using a Universal Generation Model. By leveraging sophisticated corrections in the machining process, the desired ease-off surfaces are obtained, ensuring the accuracy of the generated tooth surfaces. This simulation ensures minimal errors between theoretical and virtual generating tooth surfaces, providing a reliable basis for LTCA. The LTCA model is formulated using CNC-generated tooth surfaces, focusing on misalignments such as pinion offset, adjustment errors, and angular position errors along the pinion and gear axis. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified through comparisons with LTCA software analysis results, demonstrating its high accuracy in predicting the impact of misalignments on contact patterns and load distribution. This integrated approach offers significant advancements in the design and analysis of spiral bevel gears, providing a robust tool for predicting and analyzing gear performance under various misalignment conditions. The combined methodology enhances the reliability and accuracy of LTCA, ensuring optimal performance and durability of spiral bevel gears in practical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Mechanical Power Transmission and Its Elements)

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20 pages, 10534 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Roundness Error of the Grooves on the Inner Ring Runout of Angular Contact Ball Bearings

by Di Cui, Yongjian Yu, Yujun Xue, Pengge Guo, Hongbiao Han and Haichao Cai

Machines 2024, 12(8), 532; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines12080532 - 6 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1808

Abstract

In this paper, a prediction model of the inner ring runout of angular contact ball bearings is established according to the geometric and kinematic relationships of the bearing, considering factors such as the roundness error of the inner and outer grooves, the dimensional error of the balls, and the change of the contact angle between the balls and the grooves. The correctness of the model is verified through experiments. The effects of the order and amplitude of the roundness error of the inner groove and the order and amplitude of the roundness error of the outer groove on the inner ring runout are analyzed. The coupling effect of the roundness error of the inner and outer grooves on the inner ring runout is further analyzed. The results show that the inner ring runout changes periodically with a change to the roundness error order of the grooves, which increases with an increase in the roundness error amplitude. Under the coupling of the roundness error of the inner and outer grooves, the magnification of the inner ring runout increases as a whole. When there are specific relationships between the roundness error orders of the grooves and the number of balls, the magnification of the axial or radial runout changes significantly. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Mechanical Power Transmission and Its Elements)

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16 pages, 4851 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Potential of New Load-Carrying Capacity Descriptions for the Service Life Calculations of Gears

by Daniel Vietze, Josef Pellkofer and Karsten Stahl

Machines 2024, 12(5), 304; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines12050304 - 1 May 2024

Viewed by 1412

Abstract

Calculating the service life of gears under variable loads requires a description of the load-carrying capacity. The current standard for this is the use of the S/N curve. International standards such as ISO 6336 stipulate the use of this approach for the calculation of the service of gears under variable loads. In this paper, five new approaches are developed and evaluated to describe the load-carrying capacity of gears in the load range of finite life. Four methods are based on machine learning, and one uses mathematical regression. To validate the new approaches, the results of an experimental study investigating the service life of gears under variable loads are presented. These results form the basis for the conducted study, which compares the five new methods with the existing approach. The comparison focuses on the ability of the load-carrying capacity descriptions to provide an accurate calculation of the service life and to reduce scattering as much as possible. The results of the study show significant potential for the new methods, especially the one based on a neural network. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Mechanical Power Transmission and Its Elements)

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15 pages, 4937 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Feature Extraction of a Planetary Gearbox Based on the KPCA Dual-Kernel Function Optimized by the Swarm Intelligent Fusion Algorithm

by Yan He, Linzheng Ye and Yao Liu

Machines 2024, 12(1), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines12010082 - 21 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1574

Abstract

The feature extraction problem of coupled vibration signals with multiple fault modes of planetary gears has not been solved effectively. At present, kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) is usually used to solve nonlinear feature extraction problems, but the kernel function selection and its blind parameter setting greatly affect the performance of the algorithm. For the optimization of the kernel parameters, it is very urgent to study the theoretical modeling to improve the performance of kernel principal component analysis. Aiming at the deficiency of kernel principal component analysis using the single-kernel function for the nonlinear mapping of feature extraction, a dual-kernel function based on the flexible linear combination of a radial basis kernel function and polynomial kernel function is proposed. In order to increase the scientificity of setting the kernel parameters and the flexible weight coefficient, a mathematical model for dual-kernel parameter optimization was constructed based on a Fisher criterion discriminant analysis. In addition, this paper puts forward a swarm intelligent fusion algorithm to increase this method’s advantages for optimization problems, involving the shuffled frog leaping algorithm combined with particle swarm optimization (SFLA-PSO). The new fusion algorithm was applied to optimize the kernel parameters to improve the performance of KPCA nonlinear mapping. The optimized dual-kernel function KPCA (DKKPCA) was applied to the feature extraction of planetary gear wear damage, and had a good identification effect on the fuzzy damage boundary of the planetary gearbox. The conclusion is that the DKKPCA optimized by the SFLA-PSO swarm intelligent fusion algorithm not only effectively improves the performance of feature extraction, but also enables the adaptive selection of parameters for the dual-kernel function and the adjustment of weights for the basic kernel function through a certain degree of optimization; so, this method has great potential for practical use. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Mechanical Power Transmission and Its Elements)

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22 pages, 8263 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Research on the Hobbing Processing Method of Marine Beveloid Gear

by Jianmin Wen, Haoyu Yao, Hui Li and Bindi You

Machines 2024, 12(1), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines12010035 - 4 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2295

Abstract

Due to the particular structure of the beveloid gear, it cannot be directly hobbed by an ordinary gear hobbing machine. The existing processing method is complex and has a high cost. Therefore, the mass production and industrialization of beveloid gears are limited. To improve the machining efficiency and accuracy of processing beveloid gears, we proposed a hobbing method via the modification of ordinary hobbing machines. At first, we completed the derivation and calculation of the relevant processing parameters of the beveloid gear based on the study of the structural characteristics of the beveloid gear and the principle of hobbing machining. Then, we proposed and designed a beveloid gear hobbing method, and the modification of the ordinary hobbing machine was completed by using a hanging wheel mechanism in synchronous belt type. Finally, we completed the actual hobbing of the beveloid gear, and the feasibility of the proposed method was verified. After that, we analyzed the machining error of the trial-produced beveloid gear; the results showed that the accuracy of the trial-produced beveloid gear met the 6-level standard, which also verified the accuracy of the proposed method. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Mechanical Power Transmission and Its Elements)

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15 pages, 2875 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Point Control for Face-Milled Spiral Bevel Gears with a Predesigned Fourth-Order Motion Curve

by Yuhui Liu, Liping Chen and Gang Li

Machines 2024, 12(1), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines12010034 - 3 Jan 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1904

Abstract

This paper presents an ultimate motion methodology of a face-milling spiral bevel gear pair to synthesize the mating tooth surfaces with a predesigned fourth-order motion curve. The methodology is to control some contact points along the contact path in the process of tooth contact analysis via application of an extended local synthesis which permits some transmission errors rather than zero at the concerned contact point. The modified offset motion correction is selected to demonstrate the proposed methodology. Applied torque corresponding to an elastic approach of 0.00635 mm at the mean contact point is calculated and the loaded tooth contact analysis is performed. Numerical results show that the extended local synthesis can effectively control the transmission errors on the predesigned fourth-order motion curve at arbitrarily predesigned contact points along the contact path of the spiral bevel gear pair. The tooth contact pattern for the actual tooth pair is scattered into three segments since the rotational motion of the driven gear at any instant angular position is dependent on the tooth pair with the least transmission error among the three adjacent tooth pairs. The actual tooth contact patterns of the spiral bevel gear pair become continuous when meshing tooth surfaces are elastically deformed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Mechanical Power Transmission and Its Elements)

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Review

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23 pages, 6485 KiB

Open AccessReview

Power Transmission Mechanism and Tribological Performance of Modern Bicycle Drivetrains—A Review

by Yook Wah Liew, Owen Matthews, Dzung Viet Dao and Huaizhong Li

Machines 2025, 13(1), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines13010066 - 17 Jan 2025

Viewed by 1229

Abstract

Bicycles are one of the most sustainable forms of transportation and sports available today, known for their environmental friendliness, cost-effectiveness, lightweight design, compactness, and health benefits. The efficiency and power transmission of bicycle drivetrains have emerged as crucial concerns for engineers, bicycle manufacturers, and both professional and amateur cyclists. However, research and publications related to bicycle drivetrain systems and their tribological performance are notably limited. There is a lack of systematic reviews on technological progress and recent research works in this field. This paper aims to redress this imbalance by presenting a comprehensive literature review of power transmission and tribology in bicycle drivetrains through assessing an extensive body of theoretical and practical work encompassing bicycle drivetrains and roller chain drive mechanisms and performance. This review comprises an exploration of bicycle drivetrain mechanisms and components, an examination of subjects related to power transmission mechanics and efficiency, and a thorough analysis of tribological factors in bicycle drivetrains, including friction, wear, and lubrication. A particular focus has been put on the performance of roller chain drives. This review consolidates research findings related to power transmission within the bicycle drivetrain systems and outlines some future perspectives in relevant research. Through this review, we aim to shed light on the existing knowledge gaps within bicycle drivetrain research and offer constructive recommendations for advancements in this field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Mechanical Power Transmission and Its Elements)

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