ACCURATE BENDING STRENGTH ANALYSIS OF ASYMMETRIC GEARS USING THE NOVEL ES-PIM WITH TRIANGULAR MESH

This paper extends the edge-based smoothed point interpolation method (ES-PIM) to bending strength analysis of asymmetric gears with complex outlines. Five sets of asymmetric gears with pressure angles of 20°/20°, 25°/20°, 30°/20°, 35°/20° and 40°/20° were generated by a specially designed rack cutter. Four key factors, e.g. accuracy, convergence, the convergence rate and the computational efficiency of the present ES-PIM were checked in great detail on these five models, and the distributions of bending stresses at the fillet of the drive side were carefully investigated. The finite element method (FEM) was also used to calculate the abovementioned factors to stress the advantages of ES-PIM. The numerical results indicate that ES-PIM can provide more efficient and accurate solutions in the stress field than the FEM, and is very suitable for stress analysis of complicated asymmetric gears.