R. Noebauer, Rubig Engineering, St Eusteche, QC, Austria
Plasma nitriding of gears has been successfully introduced in applications such as steering gears in engines, internal gears in transmissions and other low-load applications. In the vehicle industry the fast growing market for high-performance gears capable of withstanding greater loads is particularly promising. There is a need for reliable fatigue data to optimize material and plasma nitriding process choices. To generate fatigue data in a cost-effective manner, a step-by-step approach with specially designed specimens and test procedures was developed. This paper discusses the results of the first steps and gives an outlook on the steps ahead. The first part of this investigation focuses on bending fatigue strength of the gear tooth, while other failure modes, such as pitting, will be tested in the second part of the project. The quite promising results will open other markets beyond the automotive field, for example, gears for wind turbines and heavy industry.
Summary: Plasma nitriding of gears has been successfully introduced in applications such as steering gears in engines, internal gears in transmissions and other low-load applications. In the vehicle industry the fast growing market for high-performance gears capable of withstanding greater loads is particularly promising. There is a need for reliable fatigue data to optimize material and plasma nitriding process choices. To generate fatigue data in a cost-effective manner, a step-by-step approach with specially designed specimens and test procedures was developed. This paper discusses the results of the first steps and gives an outlook on the steps ahead. The first part of this investigation focuses on bending fatigue strength of the gear tooth, while other failure modes, such as pitting, will be tested in the second part of the project. The quite promising results will open other markets beyond the automotive field, for example, gears for wind turbines and heavy industry.
