R. V. Pulikollu, R. Mcdaniels, R. Holmes, R. G. Tryon, VEXTEC, Brentwood, TN
The Helicopter Integrated Diagnostic System has achieved a documented success rate of up to 70% in detecting faults. However, despite all the improvements in failure detection, the remaining 30% of faults are not diagnosed. VEXTEC has developed a physics-based model for detection of gear faults by modeling the effects of tooth bending, contact fatigue and lubrication on gear performance. The technology involves successful modeling of the gear material microstructure and the highly localized multi-axial stresses at tooth contact. The prognostic model is demonstrated through comparison of the modeling results with gear test data.
