Abstract This paper provides details of a new test rig design and methodology intended for, and successfully applied to, measuring the gear wear rate and performance of polymer composite gears under both dry and lubricated conditions. One of its unique contributions is that it continuously measures the gear wear rate, a feature essential for understanding polymer gear behaviour. While sharing some concepts with the traditional back-to-back test configuration used for steel gears, the new method introduces a rotary freedom to the block supporting the polymer gears under test. This block rotates if the gear tooth thickness is reduced, which aids control of the test load. The gear surface wear rate is recorded continuously by using a capacitance transducer to measure the pivot block motion. A second unique contribution of the new test method involves splitting the support block so that controlled misaligned gear engagements (not reported in other designs) can be introduced and subsequent changes to wear behaviour studied. The paper first outlines the test rig concepts and design before discussing in more detail the gear wear rate measuring principles, the methods of centre distance adjustment and the achievement of virtually constant gear loading. Finally, a selection test results are presented in summary to further validate the new test method and illustrate potential applications.

中文翻译：

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一种测试聚合物齿轮磨损率和性能的新方法

摘要 本文详细介绍了一种新的试验台设计和方法，旨在并成功应用于测量聚合物复合齿轮在干燥和润滑条件下的齿轮磨损率和性能。它的独特贡献之一是它连续测量齿轮磨损率，这是了解聚合物齿轮行为必不可少的功能。在与用于钢齿轮的传统背靠背测试配置共享一些概念的同时，新方法为支撑被测聚合物齿轮的块引入了旋转自由度。如果齿轮齿厚减小，该块会旋转，这有助于控制测试负载。通过使用电容传感器测量枢轴块运动连续记录齿轮表面磨损率。新测试方法的第二个独特贡献涉及拆分支撑块，以便引入受控的错位齿轮啮合（其他设计中未报告），并研究磨损行为的后续变化。本文首先概述了试验台的概念和设计，然后更详细地讨论了齿轮磨损率测量原理、中心距调整方法和实现几乎恒定的齿轮负载。最后，总结了一个选择测试结果，以进一步验证新的测试方法并说明潜在的应用。本文首先概述了试验台的概念和设计，然后更详细地讨论了齿轮磨损率测量原理、中心距调整方法和实现几乎恒定的齿轮负载。最后，总结了一个选择测试结果，以进一步验证新的测试方法并说明潜在的应用。本文首先概述了试验台的概念和设计，然后更详细地讨论了齿轮磨损率测量原理、中心距调整方法和实现几乎恒定的齿轮负载。最后，总结了一个选择测试结果，以进一步验证新的测试方法并说明潜在的应用。