2025

Charles Nutakor; Jose I Pedrero; Miryam B Sánchez

Polymer gears offer advantages such as good tribological performance, self-lubrication, low cost, lightweight design, and minimal vibration. They can be used in mechanisms where lubrication is not needed to prevent contamination from lubricants. Minimizing heat generation is crucial to maintain the optimal tribological properties of these gears. Heat generation can also lead to reduced fuel economy and elevated temperatures that can cause failure. This book chapter presents a methodology for predicting the mechanical efficiency of metal-polymer gear pairs. The methodology involves analyzing the instantaneous friction coefficient at the metal-polymer gear contacts and the gear load distribution during the entire cycle of such gear pairs. The prediction of power losses should account for the deflection of polymer gear teeth, as neglecting deflection can result in mechanical efficiency overprediction.