GEAR DRIVES

FOR TURBOMACHINERY
by Peter Lynwander

INTRODUCTION driven machinery:

Gearboxes for turbomachinery applications are Horsepower transmitted
designed to achieve years of trouble-free oper- Ratio required (reduction or increasing)
ation. As operating speeds increase, and relia- Speeds
bility requirements become critical due to the Arrangement of Shafting (Fig. 1)
high cost of downtime, gear manufacturers are When specifying a gear drive, the efficiency
refining their analytical, design and manufac- requirement, noise generation, and space and
turing techniques to keep pace with new tech- weight limitation must also be considered. The
nology. It h a s become apparent that gear units, physical environment, dust, humidity, corrosive
when incorporated into a system of rotating atmosphere, etc. m u s t be addressed i n the
machinery, become susceptible to a variety of design stage.
problems. The gear manufacturer and the user, Although the input and output shaft arrange-
therefore, must take a systems approach to the ment can be concentric, parallel offset, right
specification, installation, operation and mainte-
nance of a gearbox. All characteristics of the
drive system from the driver to the driven equip- Input Input
ment including the lubrication system and acces-
sories can influence gearbox operation.
This chapter presents material concerning all
phases of gearbox application with emphasis on
information that will help the user operate and
maintain the equipment. A discussion of selection
and design procedures is included to familiarize Parallel Concentric
the reader with gearbox principles. Offset
Throughout the chapter standards and prac-
tices developed by the American Gear Manufac-
turers Association a r e referred to. Successful Input
selection, rating, installation and maintenance
of gearboxes can be accomplished by the use of
AGMA standards and practices. output

TYPES OF GEAR DRIVES

The choice of a gear drive depends on the appli- Right A n g l e
cation, its environment and the physical con-
straints of the system. The gearbox geometry is
defined by four parameters which are determined Figure 1. Q p e s of Gearbox Configurations
by t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of t h e d r i v i n g a n d
angle or skewed, the great majority of turbo- helical tooth forms. Figure 3 illustrates the dif'
machinery gearboxes are used in systems that ference between spur and helical gearing. Spui
require either parallel offset or concentric shaft gears have the advantage of not generating axiai
configurations. Figure 2 illustrates a typical thrust loads but are limited in capability and the3
parallel shaft high speed gear unit. generate more noise and vibration than helicai
Parallel offset or concentric drive shaft gear- gears. The reason for this is that helical gears
boxes use either spur, single helical or double have a n overlap in both the axial and transverse
planes, Fig. 3. With a conventional spur gear, the
load is transmitted by either one or two teeth at
any time. Thus, the elastic flexibility is continu-
ously changing a s load is transferred. With heli-
cal gearing, the load is shared between a suffi-
cient number of teeth to allow a smooth transfer-
ence of load and a constant elastic flexibility. In
addition, helical gears have larger load carrying
capability.
In order to take advantage of helical gearing,
yet not generate axial thrust, double helical gear-
ing can be used. Many industrial and marine
applications utilize soft, approximately Rc 35,
2ouSle helical gearing. Double helical gearing
offers low noise and vibration along with zero net
axial thrust. Also, the ratio of face width to diame-
ter in each half of the mesh can be held to reason-
able limits, therefore, end loading of the tooth
face due to 'tooth errors or deflection is less likely
to occur.
The advantage of zero thrust is offset by the
fact that double helical gears must adjust them-
selves axially. One gear of the set is free to move
Figure 2. American Lohmann Parallel Shaft axially a n d continuously shifts to achieve equi-
High Speed Gear Unit librium. This can lead to detrimental axial vibra-
tions. Also, if the gear is hung up axially due to
SPUR GEAR HELICAL GEAR external loads or internal friction overloading of
one helix will occur.
In order to achieve minimum envelope and
maximum reliability the latest technology util-

Figure 4. Two Stage, Single Helical

Generator Drive Manufactured by American
Figure 3. Comparison of Spur and Helical Lohmann. 4500 HP, 14500 RPM In,
Gear Teeth 1500 or 1800 RPM Out
 Table 1. High Speed Gear Unit Service Factors
f(;)urlr.sy A m c 7 r r c n n C v n r iManrr/ac.turc,rs As.sociot~r)n)

AGMA STANDARD PRACTICE FOR

HIGH SPEED HELICAL AND HERRINGBONE GEAR UNITS
Servlce Faclor Values
Servlce Factar
P r ~ m cMover

Internal
Cornbusl~on
APPLICATION
Eng~ne
Motor Turb~ne (Multi-Cyl~nderl

BLOWERS
Cenlr~fugal 14 16 17
Lobe 17 17 20

COMPRESSORS
Centr~fugal-processgas excepl alr c o n d ~ t ~ o n ~ n g 13 15 16
Cenlnfugal-a~rcond~ltonlngservlce 12 14 15
Centrifugal-a~ror plpe l ~ n e servlce 14 16 17
Rolary-axtat flow-all lyoes 14 16 1i
Rotary-llquld plston (Nash) 17 17 20
Rolary-lobe-rad~alllow I 7 17 ?0
R e c ~ p r o c a l ~ n g or
- 3 more cyl 17 17 20
R e c ~ p r o c a l ~ n g cyl
-2 20 20 23

DYNAMOMETER - rest stand 11 11 13

FANS
Cenlrlfuqai 14 I 6 17
Forced draft 14 16 17
Induced draft 17 20 22
lndustrlal and mlne (large wlth trequent start cycles) 17 20 22

GENERATORS AND EXCITERS

Base load o r continuous 11 11 I 3
Peak duty cycle 13 13 17

PUMPS
C e n l r ~ f u g a{all
l service except as 11stedbelow) 13 I 5 17
Cenlrlfugal-boller feed 17 20
Centr~fugal-descal~ng (with surqe l a n k ] 20 20
Centrifugal-hot 011 15 17
Cenlrifugal-p~pel ~ n e 15 17 20
CentrlfugaE-water works 15 17 20
Dredge 20 24 25
Rotary-axlal flow-all types I 5 15 !8
Rotary gear 15 15 18
Rotary-llquld ptston 17 17 20
Rolary-lobe 17 17 20
R o l a r y - s l ~ d ~ nvane
g 15 15 18
R e c ~ p r o c a t ~ n g cyl
- 3 or more 17 17 20
Rec~procating-2cyl 20 20 23

PAPER INDUSTRY
Jordan or r e f ~ n e r I 5 15
Paper mactllne-line shaft 13 13
Paper machlne-sect~onaldrlve 15
Pulp beater 15

SUGAR INDUSTRY
Cane knlfe 15 I 5 18
Cenlr~fugal 15 17 20
M~ll 17 17 20

-
 izes single helical, hardened and precision ground
gearing. With single helical gears the thrust load
LOW S P E E D STATIONARY
axially locates the gear shaft against the thrust
GEAR SHAFT bearing. Bearing design h a s progressed to the
point where thrust loads are routinely handled
either by hydrodynamic tapered land or tilting
pad configurations or anti-friction thrust bear-
ings. Because case hardened gears have maxi-
mum load carrying capacity, gear size can be
minimized, therefore, the ratio of face width to
diameter of a single helical gear can be held to
reasonable limits. Also, the bearing span with
single helical gears is shorter resulting in lower
P L A N E T GEAR
elastic deflection. Figure 4 illustrates a generator
drive gearbox with two stages of single helical
I I
gearing.
A single helical hardened and ground gear set
can reduce by up to one half the envelope and
fl ,PLANET GEAR
weight of a through hardened double helical gear-
box with equivalent capacity. The inherent prr-
cision of the grinding process results in accurate
LOW SPEED
CARRIER S H A F T tooth geometry leading to minimum noise and
vibration. It is possible to harden and grind
double helical gear teeth, however, in order to
grind a one piece double helical gear a large cen-
tral gap is required between the two helices to
allow runout of the wheel. Gears can be ground in
halves and then assembled, but this presents
serious alignment and attachment problems.

'ATIONARY R I N G GEAR
a Gearbox Rating
Turbomachinery gear units are usually rated by
a n established practice such a s A.G.M.A. Stan-
dard 421.06, "Standard Practice for High Speed
Figure 5. Basic Planetary Gear Configurations Helical and Herringbone Gear Units" or API
Standard 613, "Special Purpose Gear Units for
COMPRESSIVE STRESS
Refinery Services." The two standards mentioned
above are basically for helical and double helical
parallel shaft units. Gear horsepower rating is
calculated on the basis of strength and durability.
In addition, to gear rating, the standards cover
other aspects of gearbox design such a s bearings.
shafting, etc.
Standard parallel shaft helical or double helical
gear units are available and described in pub-
lished catalogs.
Service Factor
Gear catalog horsepower ratings are given with a
service factor of one, and before a unit is selec~c~rl
the operating conditions must be defined so 111at
a suitable service factor can be chosen. Service
factors are used to take into consideration intan-
gible operating conditions such a s misalign-
ments, vibrations, transient loads and shocks.
The actual horsepower is multiplied by the service
Figure 6. Calculation of Compressive Stress factor to obtain a n equivalent horsepower and the
(Pitting Crit.erion) gear unit selected must have a rating equal to or
greater than the equivalent horsepower. Table 1
presents A.G.M.A. service factors for high speed ' the lubricant film fails allowing metal to
units. A high speed unit is defined a s operating metal contact. Local welding is initiated
with a pinion speed of 3600 revolutions per minute and the welded junctions are torn apart by
and higher, or pitch line velocities of 5000 feet per the relative motion of the meshing gear
minute and higher (PLV= RPM x Pitch Diameter teeth. The flash temperature index [ l ]
xa/12). Standard catalog gear units a r e listed to appears to be the most reliable method of
approximately 20,000 feet per minute. Applica- analysis used a t present to predict scoring.
tions exceeding this speed must be considered
special and exceptional care must be taken in
their design and manufacture. 8ENDlNG STRESS

Planetary Gearing
With planetary gearing the transmitted load is
shared between several meshes. therefore, gear-
box envelope a n d weight can be significantly
reduced compared to parallel s h a f t designs.
Figure 5 i l l u s t r a t e s s i n g l e s t a g e p l a n e t a r y
-
confieurations.
In addition to achieving minimum weight and
envelope, the small, stiff components used in
planetary gearing result in reduced noise and
vibration and high efficiency.
When confronted with a choice between paral-
lel shaft and planetary gearing, it would appear
that the planetary is more expensive and has
more components, however, for high power, high
speed applications, the reduced pitch line velocity
and smaller components make planetary configu-
rations very attractive and there is a trend toward Figure 7. Calculation of Bending Stress
this type of gearing. (Breakage Criterion)

GEAR DESIGN FLASH TEMPERATURE RISE

Modern d e s i g n m e t h o d s for t u r b o m a c h i n e r y
drives make use of sophisticated analytical pro-
cedures. Computer programs enable the designer
to optimize gearbox components with g r e a t
precision.
Detail gear tooth designs are defined using
mathematical models describing the major fail-
ure modes of turbomachinery gearing; pitting,
breakage and scoring.
Pitting, Fig. 6, is a fatigue phenomenon
and occurs as a result of repeated stress
cycles which lead to surface and subsur-
face cracks. Eventually particles detach
and pits form. Pitting, although affected
by the oil film, can occur even with a n
adequate film thickness.
Breakage, Fig. 7, of gear teeth is caused
by the root bending stress imposed by the
transmitted load. Generally, tooth break-
age is caused by bending fatigue rather
than a transient overload exceeding the
gear tooth fracture strength. In some cases
pitting or wear m a y weaken the tooth to
the extent that breakage occurs. Figure 8. Calculation of Flash Temperature Rise
Scoring, Fig. 8, is a form of surface dam- (Scoring Criterion)
age on the tooth flanks which occurs when
 DRIVES DRIVEN
PINION E X T E W L GEAR

35.68@4888 169.088flfl44 TRflNSVERSE DIAflErRAL PITCH

Q,?45388@ 5.7A27841 TRPNSVERSE PRESSIJRE ANGLE!DEt)
5.5659537 21.4341413 CENTER DISTeNCE

SEL4'I'JF 3OLLING SPEED !fiPfl) PITCH L I N E VELOCITY (FPV!

?EES T??QIJE (IN-LES! MESH RATIO
--
SENDING GEOMETRY FACTOR
a:LDiYG STTESS ( P f i )
RELATIVE HlJSSEPO4ER pE? VESH
EFFECTIVE FbCE WIV6
:~';~I!NI:. LI'E [YJUfiS) STATIC T A N C E N i I d LOAD (LPS!
~EK;;YG SPSETY Fal:;Ofi OYNANIC FACTOR
lO9PPESSIVE STRESS [ P S I ) ALIGNMENT idCTOR
CSEPaESSIVE L I F E !POURS) I O D I F i E D T4NGENTIBL LOAD i i B S )
ISIP?SS;IVE SAFETY FACTOR SURFACE FINISH
SLIDIYG VELOCITY AT T I P IFPV) FLASH TEMPERPTURE 9!.iE [DEC :I

;.C . y . A . ~ b T E 9 I d L5RbDi 2.1688848 2.808flfl0fl PROFILE CONTACT RATIO

Y-TERNRTING BENDING FACTOR I.08488@8 I .flBflBWfl FACE CONTKT RbTlO
Vi.Y'BER jF P E S k i j PEF i z V !.a848444 1.448@1BB # I N CONTACT LEYCTa
3PSE HELIX PkGLE (GI;) ¶.22,?743 9.8223743 R A l IMUn CONTACT LENGTH

IUTS :@E DIAMETER 4.928- 4.825 21.678-21.583 BACKLKH

YI'CH DIAflETER 4,5552'37 i1,4?Pi413 CIRCULAR PITCH
c3PY FiAflETER 4.353421i 21.2861243 LEAD EPROR ( I N I I N )
EASE DIPVETER L.i?72171 1?.37499!5 BflSE PITCP
R?37 DIAVETER 4.176- 4.216 21.654-21.874 DEPTH TO POINT OF #AX WEAR

%iL aHGLE-WAX OU;SIOE D I f l 34.6963974 28.787 138 1

..--
3OLL 44G-E-ROUND EDGE D I A
- .. , 4NFLE-?16!4 SIr((LE TOOTS
:? :: CNf:E-?!-CH DIfl
34.2??713
27.2279037
27,1894257
23,631;347
?7.5?2i?42
27.1884257
.?[I:; &NQE-LOU SINGLE TOFT6 24.1758991 25.5567683
-?';I: AUXE-FORP DIAfliTER i?.2278847 i5.4919457

-07 14NF iYICKNESS 1,Bb56685 B,6550!63

'EX .:$,;I JE?;K 8.9566Sil 8.8526927
:?F#SVERSE CIR TOOTH THICKNESS 8.1'794667 4.18497?8
FGlRAL CIR TOOTH THICKNESS 8.1746- 8.1765 8.1813- 0.1833
h33WL 81ARETRbi PITCH 7.P999978 7.79979'?8
'W,;~*;L ?RE$fijRE fi&G!E 24.9799845 24.9979946
Lift11 93.5375887 392.1715817
aaam EDGE RIDIUS MAX B.BIBBB~B ~.PIBBBIB
SOOT FILLS? SbEIUS MIN 8.fi548471 8.P497755
ESOLE M P T H COriSTANT 2.4814848 2.4484844
:,:aa~s:~ at TIP OF ~ ~ o i , u ~.g:@391z 8.8583912

EALL Di4bETER 8.1258a88 8.!25886@

YE4 ?YREnENT OVER BALLS 4.5515- 4,556521.3779-21.4424
nr. I
r * : ~C?NTACT DIAOETER 4.3933- 4.339121.2231-21.2275
D I N OVER TOP LAND 8.1367593 8.1425351

Figure 9. American Lohmann Gear Analysis Computer Output Sheet

 GEAR DRIVES

The equations shown in Figs. 6 and 7 are in a and/or flank, Fig. 10. These tooth modifications
basic form. I n practice, when applied in the allow t h e gears to enter mesh smoothly and
A.G.M.A. load rating system, various factors reduce dynamic loading, vibration a n d noise.
are applied which account for detrimental oper- mpical tooth modifications are in the order of
ating conditions. These factors are listed in Table .0004 - .0010 inches.
2 to illustrate the many parameters that have to be In order to reduce the effect of misalignment
considered. References C11, C21 and C31 illustrate which causes end loading, gears are sometimes
the use of the stress and scoring equations and crowned in the axial direction (lead modification).
list allowable design values. Figure 10 illustrates this technique. The amount
As mentioned earlier, detailed gear tooth geom- of crowning a t the tooth end is generally in the
etry is optimized through the use of computer order of .001 inches.
analysis. Figure 9 presents a typical computer High speed turbomachinery gearing requires
output sheet defining gear tooth stresses and excellent quality control. AGMA Standard 390.03,
geimetry. Gear pitch diameters a r e generally January 1973, recommends gear specifications
determined by compressive stress considerations. for quality. AGMA Quality Classes are numbered
i however, the detail-tooth design is defined by the
flash temperature rise along the line of action.
from 3 to 15 with 15 being the most precise. The
majority of turbomachinery gears will fall in the

I To optimize a given design, the maximum instan-

taneous flash temperature rise during the arc of
approach must equal the maximum instantane-
10-13Quality ranges. Table 3, from AGMA 390.03,
presents typical quality data.
Following is a definition of each tooth tolerance
ous flash temperature rise during the arc of recess. element shown in Table 3:
This is accomplished automatically by the use of Runout Tolerance - The amount of pitch
iteration techniques built into the computer pro- line runout allowed. Checked by such
gram. The computer program, starting with stan- methods a s indicating over pins placed
dard gear tooth addendums, will automatically in successive tooth spaces or rolling with
vary the pinion a n d gear addendums in defined a master gear of known accuracy.
increments until the optimum flash temperature Pitch Tolerance - T h e allowable amount
condition is obtained. With the resulting "long of variation between corresponding points
and short" addendum designs of this nature, on adjacent teeth (tooth to tooth).
standard tooth thicknesses are no longer appli- Profile Tolerance - The amount of vari-
cable. If standard tooth thicknesses are utilized,
a n unbalance of bending stresses between pinion
and gear would result. To optimize the bending PROFILE MODIFICATION
stresses, the program enters a second iteration
procedure which varies tooth thickness until
bending stresses are balanced.
Tooth Modifications
If gear teeth were manufactured perfectly and
there were no deflections during operation, the
tooth form would be a pure involute. Because
there are always manufacturing errors and tooth
deflections, gear teeth a r e relieved a t the tip
LEAD MODIFICATION

Table 2. Factors Used in AGMA Rating Equations

Factor Strength Durability

Dynarn~cLoad K, C,
Overload KO co
Size K, C,
Hardness Ratlo Cn
L~fe KI CI
Temperature Kt Ct
Factor of Safety K, C.
Load Distribution Km Cm
Surface Condition G Figure 10. Illustration of Gear Tooth
Modifications
CHAPTER 11
 GEAR DRIVES

ation allowed in the functional profile and can be detected in time for replacement to
(involute). be effected.
Lead Tolerance - Allowable variation of Journal bearing materials are usually steel
the tooth surface along the face width. lined babbitt or a tri-metal constructon where a
G e a r Materials a n d Heat Treatment high strength, high temperature bearing material
Proper choice of gear material a n d heat treatment is sandwiched between a thin babbitt layer and
is probably the most important factor in the suc- the steel backing.
cessful operation of a gear set. In choosing a gear Radial journal bearings may have round bores
material the tooth hardness and type of heat treat- or various other shapes in cases where dynamic
ment to achieve that hardness must be considered. instabilities are possible.
Gears, case hardened by carburizing, provide Thrust bearings are either micheled for light
the best metallurgical characteristics combining loads or have tapered lands or tilting pads.
good case structure with reasonable ductility. Seals
Carburizing produces the "strongest" gear pro- The most common method of sealing high speed
viding bending a n d pitting fatigue resistance turbomachinery gearboxes is by the use of non-
and a n excellent wear surface. A disadvantage of contacting labyrinth seals. Two sets of labyrinths
carburizing is that gear teeth distort during the are used with a drain in between which leads back
heat treatment and, in order to obtain high pre- to the oil sump. If air pressure is available the
cision, grinding after hardening is required. Sur- labyrinth can be internally pressurized with 1
face hardnesses attained by carburizing are in or 2 psig.
the order of Rc 55-62. For critical applications Rc GEARBOX INSTALLATION
60 minimum should be specified.
The best carburizing steel to achieve high load Installation of the transmission is critical for
carrying capacity is SAE 9310 (AMS 6260 or AMS proper performance. The gearbox must be rigidly
6265). Other carburizing steels used include SAE connected to the foundation which must also be
8620, 4620, 4320 and 3310. rigid a n d have a flat mounting surface. If the unit
The nitriding process is used to case harden is to be mounted on a surface other than hori-
gears when distortion must be held to a minimum. zontal the manufacturer should be consulted to
Often the gears are finish cut a n d then nitrided, determine if any lubrication system problems or
eliminating the grinding requirement. Nitrided other difficulties will arise due to the gearbox
gears do not have the bending and pitting fatigue attitude.
resistance of carburized gears but do provide a When handling the gear unit a t installation,
hard, wear resistant case. With nitriding steel care must be taken not to stress parts which are
such a s AMS 6475 (nitralloy N) or AMS 6470 not meant to support the gearbox weight. Gear-
(nitralloy 135) case hardnesses of RC 65-70 can be boxes should be lifted only by the means provided
achieved. Steels such a s SAE 4140 and 4340 are by the manufacturer such a s lifting holes in
nitrided to hardnesses of 320 to 380 BHN. the casing.
If the transmission is to be mounted on a pedes-
Through hardened gears in turbomachinery tal or base plate the structure must be carefully
units are generally in the 300-400 BHN hardness
range. '&pica1 through hardening steels a r e analyzed to determine if it will withstand oper-
SAE 4140 a n d 4340. ating loads without excessive deflection. When
mounting the unit on steel beams a base plate
Often, combinations of pinion and gear materi- should be used. The base plate should extend
als and heat treatments are used. For instance, if under the entire gearbox and be a t least a s thick
the gear is very large it may not be practical to a s the gearbox base. Both the unit a n d the base
harden, and the gear set might consist of a carbu- plate should be rigidly bolted to the steel supports
rized a n d ground pinion d r i v i n g a t h r o u g h with proper shimming to achieve a level surface.
hardened gear. If the gearbox is to be mounted on a concrete foun-
Bearings dation, grout steel mounting pads into the con-
High speed turbomachinery gearboxes generally crete base rather t h a n grouting the transmission
incorporate journal bearings. Journal bearings directly into the concrete. This will facilitate any
offer the possibility of very long life whereas anti- shimming and alignment required. The concrete
friction bearing fatigue life calculations generally should be set before bolting down the gearbox
result in finite lives which may not be acceptable. and cured before loading is applied.
There is also a feeling that journal bearings have The gearbox can be brought into alignment by
far fewer components and therefore are more reli- placing broad flat shims under all mounting
able. Also, journal bearing failure modes a r e less pads. A feeler gage is used to determine that the
catastrophic than those of anti-friction bearings thickness of shims is correct under all mounting
CHAPTER 11

pads. ated in the gearbox so that component tempera-

The gearbox input and output shafts must be tures are not excessive. The majority of the oil
correctly aligned with the driving a n d driven flow is required for the cooling function. For every
machine shafts. Even if the total system is deliv- gear drive there is a mechanical rating; the load
ered on a permanent mounting already aligned a t the transmission can transmit based on stress
the factory, couplings should be disconnected and wear considerations. In addition, there is a
a n d alignment rechecked. The alignment may thermal rating which is the average power that
have been disturbed during shipment. can be transmitted continuously without over-
Alignment of the couplings can be performed heating and without using special cooling. AGMA
in two phases. First the components are roughly thermal ratings are based on a maximum oil
aligned by eye and the final adjustment is accom- sump temperature of 20VFC41. In turbomachin-
plished with the use of measuring instruments. ery applications, the thermal rating is usually
When accomplishing the rough alignment, the less than the mechanical rating and a n external
unit being moved into alignment is adjusted until cooling system is required. Figure 11 presents a
the coupling half rims are close horizontally and typical gearbox lubrication system in schematic
vertically. Also, the coupling halves axial dis- form including pump, cooler, filter and pressure
tance should be a s specified. When the rough relief valve.
alignment is completed, the bolts around the When designing a lubrication system, the ini-
base of the unit should be secured but not tial step is to estimate the oil flow to the com-
tightened. ponents and the gearbox efficiency. The temper-
The angular alignment is then checked by a t u r e rise a c r o s s t h e gearbox can then be
mounting a dial indicator on the hub of one cou- calculated:
pling with the indicator pin on the face of the A t = Q / M Cp
mating coupling. The shaft on which the indi- Where: A t = temperature rise - " F
cator is mounted is rotated and the indicator M = Flow - Lb./min.
reading recorded. The unit is adjusted until the (Note - 1 GPM = 7.5 Lb/min.)
specified indicator reading is achieved. A reason- Q = Heat - BTU/min.
able value might be .003 inches TIR. The dial (Note - Q = H P x 42.4)
indicator is then attached to the opposing cou- C, = Specific Heat = .5 BTU/Lb. "F
pling hub a n d the procedure done again. For example, a gearbox transmitting 1000 H P
T h e parallel alignment is then checked by with 98%efficiency will reject 20 H P or 848 BTU/
mounting a dial indicator on the hub of one cou- min. of heat to the oil. If the gearbox flow is 20
pling with the indicator pin on the outside diame- GPM or 150 Lb./min. the temperature rise across
ter of the mating coupling. Again, the shaft is the gearbox will be 11°F'. Typical operating tem-
rotated and the unit adjusted until the specified peratures for turbomachinery gearboxes are oil
r e a d i n g i s achieved. T h e indicator i s t h e n "in" of 130°F with a rise of 30°F. These values are
attached to the opposing coupling half and the for mineral oils; synthetic oils may operate a t
procedure done again. higher temperature levels.
There may be several iterations until both The amount of oil flow supplied to a gear mesh
angular a n d parallel misalignment requirements is generally based on experience and experimen-
are satisfied. The mounting bolts should then be tal data. A rule of thumb sometimes used is .02
torqued a n d the unit operated until it attains Lbs./min./HP. Oil may be jetted going into or out
normal temperatures. At this point, the alignment of mesh or both. For high speed gearing, it is gen-
should be rechecked and adjusted if necessary. erally agreed the majority of oil should be jetted
If couplings, sprockets, pulleys, or gears are to the outgoing side to achieve better cooling and
installed in the field do not hammer them into reduce losses.
position. This might damage bearings or gears. The quantity of flow passing through a gear-
Instead heat the component and slide it on. box is regulated by the oil iet diameters. journal
Special attention must be given to back-stops, bearing clearances and feed pressure. dearbox
which should be checked before start-up. The feed pressures are generally in the order of 20-100
shaft should be turned by hand to determine if psig. To hold a constant feed pressure, a pressure
the backstop is assembled correctly for the direc- regulating valve is incorporated a t the gearbox
tion of rotation. inlet a s shown in Fig. 11.
LUBRICATION SYSTEM Oil pumps for gearboxes are positive displace-
ment types such a s gear, vane or screw pumps.
The purpose of the gearbox lubrication system is The pump capacity will be somewhat oversized to
to provide a n oil film a t the contacting surfaces account for variations in gearbox flow and pump
of working components and absorb heat gener- deterioration. For instance, a 23 GPM pump
 GEAR DRIVES

might be chosen for a 20 GPM application. The accepted a s t h e s t a n d a r d of t h e petroleum

output of positive displacement pumps is directly industry.
proportional to pump speed and a t any given AGMA Lubricant number recommendations
speed is c o n s t a n t regardless of pressure. T h e for drives using all types of gearing except worm
pump must develop sufficient pressure to supply gearing are given in Table 5. It can be seen from
the gearbox feed pressure and make up the pres- Table 5 that most turbomachinery gearboxes will
sure drops in the cooler, filter and oil lines a n d utilize a n AGMA type 1 or 2 lubricant.
fittings. Therefore, a gearbox with a 50 psig Lubricant maintenance, oil change intervals,
design feed pressure may have a n oil pump oper- flushing, etc., is discussed in the maintenance
ating a t 100 psig. Sometimes a high pressure section.
relief valve is incorporated a t the pump to protect GEAR TESTING A N D OPERATION
the pump in case a downstream line or valve is
inadvertently closed. Tbrbomachinery gear units are generally tested
The oil cooler is sized on the basis of the magni- by the manufacturer prior to delivery. The type of
tude of cooling required and the pressure drop for test should be agreed to in advance. A typical
the rated oil flow. Both air/oil a n d water/oil l i g h t load, full speed a c c e p t a n c e test i s a s
coolers are used. If cold starts a r e anticipated a follows C51:
thermal bypass can be incorporated in the cooler. 1. Operate the gearbox a t maximum con-
Dual oil coolers with a changeover valve are tinuous speed until bearing a n d lubri-
sometimes specified for critical applications. cation oil temperature has stabilized.
The oil filter is sized on the basis of dirt capac- 2. Increase the speed to 110 percent of maxi-
ity and pressure drop for the rated oil flow. The mum continuous speed a n d run for a
degree of filtration is indicated by the micron minimum of 15 minutes.
rating of the filter element. Typical turbomachin- 3. Reduce speed to maximum continuous
ery gearbox filters are in the order of 40 microns. a n d run for four hours a t a minimum.
Bearing in mind that a micron is ,000040 inches The following measurements should be made
a case can be made for using fine filtration of 10
microns or better. For instance, typical gear tooth
and bearing oil film thicknesses are in the order
of .0005 inches, therefore, a 10 micron maximum
filter is required if protection is desired against
particles larger t h a n the oil film thickness. As the
oil filter collects debris, the pressure drop across
the filter increases. The filter, therefore, should
incorporate a bypass valve a n d a n impending
bypass warning. Dual oil filters with change-
over valves are sometimes specified for critical
applications.
Lubrication system components can be sup-
plied either by the gear manufacturer or the user.
The purchase order should be specific a s to who
supplies what, which specifications apply a n d
where the interfaces are in order to avoid compli-
cations a t installation.
A.G.M.A. S t a n d a r d 250.03, "Lubrication of
Industrial Enclosed Drives", May 1972 gives
recommendations for the grades of oils to be used
in gearboxes. Lubricant viscosity recommenda-
tions are specified by AGMA Lubricant Numbers
a s shown in Table 4. The former AGMA viscosity
s y s t e m (AGMA 250.02, December 1955 a n d O i l pump 1 Suction pip@
O i l filter K Pzeaaure p l p t
AGMA 252.01, May 1959) h a s been abandoned i n o i l cooler L Return flow p l ~ e
favor of a newer, more universal system a s shown O i l tank
Prsssure qauqc
H
N
O i l l e v e l olllqe
Primer and spare pomp unit
i n Table 4A. The AGMA Lubricant Numbers Thcrmowter o Temperature 9 4 ~ 9 ~
Check v a l v e connection f o r remte thermometer
have been retained but the corresponding vis- Bypass
P
Q Pressure requlator
cosity ranges will now conform to the ASTM-
ASLE system (ASTMD-2422 "Viscosity System Figure 11. Typical Gearbox Lubrication System
for Industrial Fluid Lubricants") which is widely
CHAPTER 11

Table 4. AGMA Lubricants

(Courtesy American Gear Manufacturers Association)

AGMA STANDARD SPECIFICATION

LUBRICATION OF INDUSTRIAL ENCLOSED GEAR DRIVES
Viscosity Ranges for AGMA Lubricants

Rust and Oxidation Viscosity Range Extreme Pressure

Inhibited Gear Oils ASTM System (2) Gear Lubricants (5)

AGMA Lubr~cantNo. SSU at 100°F AGMA Lubricant No.

1 193 to 235
2 284 to 347 2 EP
3 417 to510 3 EP

4 626 to 765 4EP

5 918 to 1122 5EP
6 1335 to 1632 6EP

7 comp. (1) 1919 to 2346 7EP

6 comp. (1) 2837 to 3467 8 EP
8A comp. (1) 41 71 to 5098

NOTE: Viscosity ranges for AGMA lubricant numbers will henceforth be identical to those of the ASTM System (2).

Table 4A. AGMA Lubricants

(Courtesy American Gear Manufacturers Association)

Equivalent Vlscositles of Other Systems (For Reference Only)

Viscosity Ranges from

Equivalent Metric Equivalent
Former AGMA System (3). (4)
AGMA ASTM-ASLE Viscos~tyRanges .
Lubricant No. Grade No (2) cST at 37.8"C (10O0F) SSU at 100°F SSU at210"F

1 S215 41.4 to 50.6 180 to 240

2.2EP S315 61.2 to 74.8 280 to 360
3.3EP S465 90 t o l l 0 490 to 700

4.4EP S700 135 to 165 700 to 1000

5.5EP SlOOO 198 to 242 80 to 105.
5.6EP S1500 268 to 352 105 to 125

7 comp, 7EP S2150 414 to 506 125 to 150

8 comp. 8EP S3150 612 to 748 150 to 190
8A comp S4650 900 to 1100 190 to 250

(1) 011smarked comp. are compounded with 3% to 10% fatty or synthet~cfatty oils.
(2) "Viscosity System for Industrial Fluid Lubricants". ASTM 2422. Also Brltish Standards Inst~tute.B.S. 4231.
(3) AGMA 250.02 (December 1955).
(4) AGMA 252.01 (May 1959).
(5) Extreme pressure lubr~cantsshould be used only when recommended by the gear drive manufacturer.
 GEAR DRIVES

Table 5. AGMA Lubricant Recommendations

(Courtesy American Gear Manufacturers Association)

AGMA STANDARD SPECIFICATION

LUBRICATION OF INDUSTRIAL ENCLOSED GEAR DRIVES
AGMA Lubricant Number Recommendations for Enclosed Helical,
Herringbone, Straight Bevel, Spiral Bevel and Spur Gear Drives

Other
Lubricants AGMA Lubricant Number
Type of Unit Size of U n ~ t
Ambient Temperature F

Main Gear Low Speed Centers - 40 20-

to 0 to +25 15 to 60 50 to 125

Parallel shaft, (single reduction), up to 8 in 2- 3 3-4

Over 8 in. and up to 20 in. 2-3 4-5
Over20 in. 3-4 4-5

Parallel shaft. (double reduct~on),up to 8 in. 3-4

Over 8 in. and up to 20 in. - 2-3
3-4 4-5
Over 20 in.
a s
.-
$ 3-4 4-5
I -m
Parallel shaft. ( t r ~ p l e
reduction), up to 8 in.
Over 8 in. and up to 20 in.
Over 20 in.
; :
.S I
u, u,
.?
5c z
1 -
Z
0

2
s0 zC
al
9
I
2-3
3-4
4-5
3-4
4-5
5-6
E4
z-2
3

Planetary gear unlts 6 2

O.D. Housing up to 16 in. o a
O.D. Hous~ngover 16 in. m J
0 'E
E .-
.z
ij
cc
2- 3
3-4
3-4
4- 5

3"' W
Sptral orstraight bevel gear units
Cone distance up to 12 in.
4 5 25 4-5
2- 3
Cone distance over 12 in. 3-4 5-6

Gearmotorsand Shaft mounted units 2-3 4-5

High-speed Units (See Note 4) 1 2

NOTES

1. Pour point of lubrtcant selected should be at least 10°F lower AGMA 421.06. "Practice for High Speed Helical 8 Herring-
than the expected minimum ambient starting temperature. bone Gear Units:' for detailed lubr~cationrecommendat~ons.
If ambient starting temperature approaches lubricant pour 5. When they are available. good quality industrial oils hav~ng
polnt, oil sump heaters may be required to facilitate starting s~rnilar properties are preferred over the automotive oils.
and Insure proper lubr~cation.(See paragraph 5.)' The recommendation of automotive oils for use at ambient
2. Ranges are prov~dedto allow for var~ations in operating temperatures below +15"F is intended only as a guide
c o n d ~ t ~ o nsuch
s as surface finish, temperature rise, loading, pending widespread development of satisfactory low temper-
speed, etc. ature ~ndustrtaloils. Consult gear manufacturer before
3. AGMA viscosity number recommendations listed above proceeding.
refer to R 8 0 gear oils shown in Table 2.' EP gear lubricants 6. Drives ~ncorporatingoverrunning clutches as backstopping
In the corresponding viscosity grades may be substituted devices should be referred to the clutch manufacturer as
where deemed necessary by the gear drive manufacturer. certain types of lubricants may adversely affect clutch
4. High speed u n ~ t sare those operating at speeds above 3600 performance.
rpm or pitch line velocit~esabove 5000 fprn. Refer to Standard 'Editors note: This refers to material outside this text.

AGMA 250.03-May. 1972

CHAPTER 11

method of full load and speed testing is back-to-

S t a t i c t o r q u e n p p l i e d by r o t a t i n q back operation. 'nvo identical units are coupled
c o u p l i n g flanges i n o p p o s i t e d i r e c t i o n s together, input shaft to input shaft, output shaft
to output shaft. The desired torque is locked into
the system by mechanical or hydraulic means.

d _ " h ~>u
Test u n i t -
slave u n i t
The unit is then operated a t the desired speed by a
prime mover which need only be large enough to
make up the efficiency losses in the system.
Figure 12 illustrates the simplest type of back-to-
back test rig.
On occasion full load, low speed or static torque
tests are employed to demonstrate tooth contact,
load carrying capability a n d casing rigidity.

Initial Field Start-up

Figure 12. Back t o Back Gear Test Rig Prior to starting the equipment the following pre-
liminary checks should be performed:
Check oil level a n d ensure that proper oil
during the acceptance test: is being used.
Oil inlet temperature Tighten all pipe connections.
Scavenge oil temperature Check all electrical connections.
Oil feed pressure Tighten all mounting and gearbox bolts
Oil flow with proper torque.
Shaft speed Check the mounting of all gauges,
Other parameters that can be measured during switches, etc.
gear testing are: Check all couplings for proper instal-
Vibration lation and alignment.
Shaft excursion Check inspection cover installations.
Noise T h e following i n s t r u c t i o n s pertain to t h e
Bearing temperatures initial start-up:
A detailed test log should be kept making 1. The unit should be pre-oiled to ensure
e n t r i e s of e a c h measurement at 15 m i n u t e lubrication of the journal bearings a t
intervals. start-up.
After completion of the mechanical running 2. T h e gearbox should be started slowly
test, the gear unit should be opened for a visual under a s light a load as possible. Observe
inspection. Tooth meshes should be inspected for that the rotation is in the proper direction.
surface damage and proper tooth contact. All Check system oil pressure.
bearings a n d journals should be inspected for 3. After starting when the oil has been circu-
signs of surface damage or overheating. lated the unit should be stopped and suf-
With high speed gear drives it is common to ficient oil added to the sump to bring the
conduct the full speed acceptance test driving sight gage oil level up to the specified
the gearbox through a low speed shaft. This is amount.
done if a high speed prime mover is not available. 4. As the unit is brought up to operating
In this case, the gears are contacting on their speed it should be continuously monitored
normally unloaded faces since the gearbox is for excessive noise, vibration, or tempera-
being driven backwards. Such a test can still be ture. If any of these occur shut down
useful to determine proper operation of the lubri- immediately, determine the cause a n d
cation system a n d correct alignment of the gear take corrective action. Also check for oil
shafts. Also, a n y gross machining or assembly leaks a s the unit is initially operated.
errors can be identified. 5. If possible, operate a t half load for the
The full speed "light" load test is widely used first 10 hours to allow final breaking in of
since full load testing a t a gear vendor's plant is the gear tooth surfaces.
costly a n d sometimes a prime mover of sufficient 6. After the initial 50 hours of operation the
capacity is not available. If a full load test is oil in a new unit should be drained and
required by the customer, the load can be applied the case flushed with SAE 10 straight
by mechanical or hydraulic methods such a s mineral flushing oil containing no addi-
dynamometers, prony brakes, etc. A n o t h e r tives. Drain the flushing oil and refill
 GEAR DRIVES

with the recommended lubricant to the can be monitored by mounting two radial vibra-
proper level. tion probes adjacent to each radial bearing and
7. After the initial 50 hours of operation one axial position probe for each shaft. Reference
check all coupling alignments a n d re- C51 gives the following allowable level for the
torque all bolts. Check all piping connec- double amplitude of unfiltered vibration in any
tions and tighten if necessary. plane measured on the shaft adjacent to a radial
If starts are made in a cold environment con- bearing:
sideration should be given to pre-heating the
2.0 mils or the value defined by the following
lubricant. Load should not be applied until the equation, whichever is less.
lubricant has attained operating temperature.
Condition Monitoring Double amplitude including - 12000 '?
The most efficient method of maintaining a piece runout in mils - (m)
of equipment is to base repairs on the machine's
I condition rather than overhaul a t a n arbitrary Temperature Measurement
time period. This type of predictive maintenance Monitoring of the oil in and out temperatures can
requires dependence upon instrumentation and provide information about the gearbox and lubri-
the proper interpretation of the d a t a i t provides. cation system condition. Also, bearing scavenge
Reference C61 provides a discussion of basic oil temperature and babbitt temperature can be
dynamic motion, vibration a n d rotor position monitored. D r a s t i c c h a n g e s i n temperature
parameters, that should be measured and ana- parameters require investigation.
lyzed. I n addition to vibration a n d shaft position
other parameters that are important to monitor P r e s s u r e Measurements
are oil and bearing temperature, oil condition, Oil pressure into the gearbox should be moni-
and oil pressure. tored to insure proper flow. The oil filter should
have a differential pressure indicator which is
V i b r a t i o n Monitoring monitored to determine whether the filter is
Placement of vibration pick-ups at 90" to one an- becoming clogged.
other is common on gearbox casings particularly
near the high speed shaft. The parameters moni- Oil I n s p e c t i o n s
tored a r e generally amplitude of vibration in peak Laboratory inspection of the lubricating oil can
to peak mils displacement, velocity i n inches per provide an indication of oil deterioration and
second or peak G's acceleration. Casing measure- gearbox condition. An oil sample can be analyzed
ments are utilized to attempt to lead to the early for proper viscosity and acid number. Also, a
discovery of malfunctions. A normal operating spectographic analysis can be performed which
machine will generally have a stable amplitude indicates the quantity and type of metallic par-
reading of a n acceptable low level. Any change ticles in the lubricant. This type of analysis, if
in this amplitude reading indicates a change of performed periodically, can identify a component
machine condition and should be investigated. In that is wearing.
analyzing machine operation spectrum analysis
of the vibration pick-up can be used. Figure 13C61,
illustrates a comparison between two identical Shut Down Switches
gearboxes. The top spectrum plot depicts a gear- I n some cases gearboxes are provided with instru-
box in good mechanical condition with reason- mentation that automatically shuts down the
ably low acceleration levels a n d a normal mix- equipment when predetermined levels are ex-
ture of components. A similar measurement on a ceeded. Alternatively, warning lights can be acti-
unit that had cracked pinion teeth is presented vated. Parameters that are generally monitored
on the bottom plot. Note the high amplitudes a t are:
gear mesh frequency, the seventh harmonic of High oil "in" temperature
pinion rotational speed, and even the pinion run- Low oil "in" pressure
ning speed (Xhs)a t 4.2 G's. Filter differential pressure
Correlation of vibration a n d position data,
Position Measurements temperatures, pressures and other external pa-
Proximity probes, when mounted rigidly to a rameters which effect gearbox operation will
bearing cap or casing of a gearbox, provide a lead to a good predictive maintenance program.
vibration measurement of the relative motion Analysis of all the d a t a will provide a n indication
between the shaft and the mounting of the prox- not only of equipment malfunction but also which
imity probe. Bearing wear, both radial and axial, component is deteriorating.
CHAPTER 11

FREOUENCY - Cyc!es/Minute x 10-3

Figure 13. Comparison Between Gearbox Casing Acceleration Characteristics

 GEAR DRIVES

MAINTENANCE every precaution must be taken to prevent foreign

The objective of a maintenance program is to matter from entering the gearbox. The introduc-
insure satisfactory gearbox performance a t all tion of moisture, dirt or fumes can lead to sludge
times a n d maintain the transmission in a state formation and deterioration of the lubrication
of readiness if not in operation. A program should a n d cooling system.
be planned which includes regular maintenance A recommended maintenance schedule is pre-
actions a n d monitoring of operating character- sented in Table 6. Logs should be kept of instru-
istics to determine whether the gearbox condition ment readings and maintenance action to keep a
is deteriorating. running account of gearbox condition.
There are several maintenance actions that The major causes of gear unit failure are im-
should be effected during initial operation of the proper lubrication and overload. Care must be
gearbox. After approximately 50 hours of opera- taken to check for proper oil level before opera-
tion check coupling alignments and retorque all tion. Excessive oil volume can be as detrimental
bolts. Check all piping connections and tighten a s lack of lubrication. Too much oil will result in
if necessary. Also, after approximately 50 hours churning and overtemperature of components.
of operation, the oil in a new unit should be Overload can be a result of vibration, shock,
changed. This oil can be filtered through a n ele- high torque a t low speed, etc. If there is a possi-
ment with the same micron rating a s the gearbox bility that operating loads will exceed rated unit
filter a n d reused. Particles may be found in the loads the manufacturer should be consulted.
oil due to the wearing in process. At this point the I n many gear units the teeth can be visually
sump or reservoir should be thoroughly cleaned. inspected by removing inspection covers. When
After draining the original oil i t is recommended opening these inspection covers care must be
t h a t the gearbox a n d lubrication system be taken to insure that no foreign material enters
flushed out with a flushing oil. If possible bring the gearbox. Gear teeth should be examined under
the unit up to operating speed with light load good lighting and be wiped clean of oil to prevent
after filling with flushing oil. Shut down immedi- a false diagnosis. The contact pattern should
ately after achieving full speed. Then drain the cover approximately 80% of the tooth. Each gear
flushing oil a n d refill with the recommended tooth should be examined for evidence of the con-
lubricant to the proper level. ditions described in Table 7.
When performing m a i n t e n a n c e operations Gear teeth should be inspected for nicks, burrs
- --

Table 6. Scheduled Maintenance Actions

FREQUENCY 1 M A I N 1ENANCE I TEM I CORRECTIVEACTI O N

Daily Check oil temperature If there IS a drast~c
and pressure at oper- change from prevtous
ating conditions. readings stop unit and
determine cause.
Check for noise, vibra- Add oil if necessary.
tion and oil leaks.
Check sump oil level.
Weekly Check 011filter. Change filter element
if necessary.
Monthly Check lubricating oil Drain and refill lube
for contamination. system if necessary.
Change oil filter.
Check all gauges. con-
trols, alarm systems.
Clean breather
element.
'Every 2500 Change lubricating
hours or 6 system oil.
months
'If operating conditions are unusually severe such as high temperature or high
molsture atmospheres, oil change requirements mlght be more frequent. Changes
can be based on inspection of the oil for viscosity or acid number in such cases.
CHAPTER 11

Table 7. Visual Inspection of Gears

CONDlTlON DESCRIPTION LIMITS ILLUSTRATION

Wear A general term describing loss Heavy wear to theextent that the
of material from contacting working tooth surface is dis-
surfaces of gear teeth. torted is unacceptable. Light
wear is acceptable.

Pitting A failure of the material charac- Light pitting isacceptable. Any

terized by the removal of metal other condition of pitting 1s
and the formation of cavities. unacceptable.
These cavit~esmay be small and
not progress: they may be small
initially and then combine or
increase in slze by continued
fatigue: or they may be of con-
siderable size at the start.

Spalling Large cavities which may result Spalling is unacceptable.

from a material or processing
defect or the forming of a large
pit from several smaller pits.

Frosting A surface distress condition Light frosting is acceptable.

caused by welding of high spots
during the break in period.

Scoring The removal of metal in direc- Light scoring isacceptable

tion of sliding due to a break-
down of the lubricant film.

End Loading A wear, pitting or scoring con- Light end wearing, scoring or
dition that is predominantly O n pitling is acceptable.
one end of the toothcaused by
misalignment of the mating
tooth surface.

Breakage Bendingtatigue failure due to Breakage is unacceptable.

overload, misalignment,or from
inadvertent stress concentra-
t ~ o n ssuch as notches i n surface
or sub-surface material defects.

Cracking Cracking is due to metallurgical Unacceptable

or process problems

NOTE If condit~onssuch as p~ttlng,scoring or wear are noted, period~cinspectionsshould bescheduled to

determine the progression of these conditions
 GEAR DRIVES

Table 8. Journal-Bearing Trouble-Shooting Chart

CAUSE REMEDY CAUSE REMEDY

I WEAR I l l OVERHEATING
SCORING 1 lnsulflclenl Increase boar~ngclearancedecrease011
GALLING 011film v~scosltyadd more 011-dlstr~but~ng
1 D~rt Change o ~ ~nstall
l new f ~ l t e rremove grooves lncrease supply pressure
source of eontam~nantprovide Ilush- lncrease 011o r ~ f ~ size
c e lncrease
Ing chamfers at end of Oilgr00WS use chamfer s ~ z e
solter b e a r ~ n gmaterlat taembed small 2 Improper 011 Change l o proper v ~ s c o s ~for
t y bearlng
amounts of dirt o r a harder lournal l o v~scos~ty load. speed and temperature
reduce 11seffect 3 Tool~ttle Scrape or machlne out bear~ngbore
2 Mlsal~gn- A l ~ g nlournal wllh bearlng clearance
men1 4 Heat from Prov~dec~rculat~ng-011 system wlth
3 Excesswe Provlde adequalelournal support. surroundings external coollng. Increase 011 flow use
journal reduce load causlng dellecfcon more viscous 011 watercool~ng~nsulate
deflect~on bear~ngreduce amblenl temperature
4 Boundary- Increase 011vlscoslty use antlwear or with bettervent~lal~on
11lm extreme-pressure 011or grease change 5 Hlgh load Reduce load and bell tension usecom-
condltlon to bearing rnater~alwfth better com- pounded 011contalnang olllness or
p a t ~ b ~ lchange
~ly bearlng deslgn lor extreme pressureagents Change lo
greater 011-lllmth~ckness stronger bearlng materlal and a bear~ng
5 TOOlow 011 Use heav~er-vlscos~ty 011 Reduse bear- deslgned for h ~ g h eloads
r
v~scos~ty Ing operating temperature byeoollng 6 Hlgh speed Decrease 011v ~ s c o s ~ lncrease
ly clear-
011 increase 011llow to lower the Bear- ance and 011flow Change to ell~ptlcal
Ing temperature. rnodlty bearlng overshot or multlgroove bearlng
deslgn t o gkve higher load Capactly decrease journal size
6 Rough Pollsh o r grind lournat IV FATIGUE
lournal I Overload Use larger bearlng reduce load. use
7 Pmr Select compat~blemater~als,tncrease stronger bearlng mater~al
bearbng- shall hardness or use hardened sleeve 2 Edge loadlng Correct shaft dellect~onscorrect bear-
lournat o n snaft Use add~tlve-type011s Ing al~gnmentcheck machln~ng ol
materlal bearlng and journal
comblnat~on
3 Local h ~ g h Check l o r corros~onfactors electr~cal
8 Loadm lncreale 011v ~ s c o s ~ Increase
ty bearlng stress plts rough surface l l n ~ s huse h~gher-
hlgh size use stronger bearlng materlal concen- vlscoslty 011
with hardened shalt useantlwear cf tratlon
extremepressure a11
4 Hlgh bearlng Reduce operating temperature use
9 V~bratlm Balance rotor Increase 011vls&OS~ly lemperature h e a v ~ e r o change
~l bearlng deslgn lor
use pressure bearlng three-lobeoc hlgher 011llow change to hlgher-
e l l ~ p t ~ ctype
al temperature bearlng malerlal
10 Journal R w l a c e lournal 5 Rotor Balance rotor use s t a b ~ l ~ z ~bear~ng
ng
eccenfrc~ly vlbrat~on d e s ~ g no f elllptlcal pressure or three-
II Improper Take gra3ve4 Oul of loaded zone lob^ type Change rotorsupport todamp
groovlng ~nbearlflg out vlbratlon
12 Efectr~cal Remove source of current flowing 6 Cav~tatlon flelocale 011holes and groovlng use
plttlng t h r q h b e a r ~ n geleclr~callylnsulale erosion h ~ g h evr ~ s c o s ~011
t y and lower bear~ng
bearlng ground journal temperature use latlgue-res~slant
13 l n s u f f ~ c ~ e n t Add a11 check pump filler cooler bearlng mater~al
lubr~cat~on ptplng ~ncreaseo~l-~nlel.pnssure V SEIZURE
I Tool~ffle Provlde adequate clearance taklng Into
clearance account any lemperature effects and
thermal expansion
I1 CORROSION 2 lnsuff~c~ent Supply larger amounts o f 011use h~gher
1 Colros~ve Remove contamlnatlon source atmos- lubr~cat~on v ~ s c o s ~011
l y useextreme-pressure
Contami phenc or olherwlse seal bearlng use lubr~cantuse proper deslgn o l 011-feed
naflon corros~onres~slanll u b r ~ c a t ~ o n grooves and o r ~ l ~ c e s
2 Mo~sture Use rust ~ n h ~ b ~011 tedremove source 3 Too nlgh toad Increase b e a r ~ n garea and modlfy
01 mo~?lture bear~ngdeslgn locarry load useh~gher-
3 ~orroslve Change 011per~odlcallyloavold bulld up vlscoslty 011 use compounded 011
Cubr~cant olcorros~ve oxldaf~onproducts a v o ~ d 4 Overheating Provlde external c o o l ~ n gand ample
possibly corros~veextremepressureo~ls 011Ilow
11not necessary change to non- 5 Unsuitable Use morecompat~blebearlng mater~al
corros~blebearlng rnaterlal such as fln bear~ng wlth Satisfactory strength and thermal
babbitt o r a l u m ~ n u m mater~al propert~es
CHAPTER 11

CAUSE REMEDY CAUSE REMEDY

1. OVERHEATED BEARING: j Improper mount~ng Correct d ~ r t yor off-squareshaft

a. Inadequate l u b r ~ c a t ~ o n Clean oil holes, filters.and vents. and housing shoulders and
Use a fresh lubricant. seats. Avoid br~nelllngcausedby
b. Excessive lubricant Use lower-viscos~tyoil, lower 011 pounding on bearing
churning level tocenter of bottom ball or k. False brinelling Use vibration mounts for
roller, use 011mist machine to isolate from platform
c. Inadequate internal Use bearfngof greater loose- during idle periods
clearance ness. allow for different~alther- I, sealrub Check for metal bearing seal or
mal expansion, reduce ~nterfer- shield rubbtng on shaft.shaft
enceof shaft and housing fits. shoulder. or housing
correct any housing out of
roundness or warping 3 LOSS OF LUBRICANT:
d. H ~ g seal
h fr~ction Use reduced spring tension with a. Oilleakagethroughseal Adjust oil level tocenteroflowest
seals, lubr~cateseals, switch ball or roller. replace seal. use
from rubbing seal to low- double-seal arrangement w ~ t h
clearance shield d r a ~ nbetween, eliminate any
e. Excess~vepreloading Use gasketsot s h ~ m sto relieve unfavorable air flow by proper
axial preload with opposed pair baffles and balancing channels
or with two held bearings on a b. Leakageathousing split Use thin layer of gasket cement,
shaft subjected to thermal replace housing
expansion. Change design to c. Dry, caked residue Use silicone or other high-
use only one held bearing temperature grease use
1. Spinning outer ring Use closer housing fit, use steel oxidation-inhibited or synthetic
insert i n soft aluminum housing, oil or grease, cool oil in external
use garter sprdng or rubber cooler, cool bearing housing.
holding ring increase oil flow to promote
g. Misalignment Correct alignment b y shimming cooling
p~llow blocks, hous~ngs,or 4. LOOSE BEARING:
machines shaftsand bear- a. Shaftdiametertoosmall Turn down shaft.chrome-plate
ings in Itne. Check for misaiign- or metallize and regrind togive
ment of bearing seats and shaft proper fit. Retighten adapter to
and housing shoulders get firm grip on shaft
2. NOISY BEARING. b. Housing bore too large Build u p bore with chrome plate
VIBRATION: or metallizeand regrind. boreout
a. Wrong type 011 Check recommendation of housing and press in sleeve to
manufacturer give proper bearing fit (a slip fit
b. Insufficient lubrication (See l a ) on OD is usually des~rableto
c. Defective bearing Check lor brinefling, fatigue, allow for differential axial
wear, groove wobble, poor cage. thermal expansion of a shaft
Replace bearing between two bearings)
d. Dirt Clean bearing housing, replace
HARD
OF SHAFT:
worn seals. Improve seal
arrangement, eliminate source a. Excessive bearing Use less interference 111on shaft
of dirt preload or in housing,select bearingwith
e. Corrosion Improve sealing to keep outcor- greater ~nternal clearance where
rosive elements. use corrosion- heat conduction expands shaft
reststing lubricant and inner bearing ring. Relieve
axial preloading by housing
1. Toogreat internal Change to bear~ngw ~ t hsmaller
shims with either two opposed
clearance clearance
bearings or two "held" bear~ngs
g. Unbalance Balance rotor on one shaft
h. Misal~gnment Align (see l g ) b. Bearing pinching Scrape housing bore to relieve
i. Too loose shaft or Build upshaft or bore with or cocking pinching. Replace or remachine
hous~ngftt chrome plate or metallize warped housings,check bearing
and regrind seats as source of cocking
 GEAR DRIVES

a n d scratches which may be repaired by blending major problems encountered in gear drives, their
provided they are minor and not on the working causes and some corrective actions:
surfaces of the tooth. The blend may be accom- Table 7 Visual Inspection of Gears
plished using a small diesinker type file and a n Table 8 Journal Bearing Troubleshooting
India or carborundum stone. Crocus cloth should Chart C71
be used for the final polishing. All repairs must Table 9 Rolling Bearing Troubleshooting
be finished smoothly. Power tools are not per- Chart L71
mitted for blend repairs. Table 10 Gearbox Troubleshooting Guide
Troubleshooting Overhaul
A step by step guide often proves useful in trouble- Generally, turbomachinery gearboxes do not
shooting. The following group of tables lists the have a specific time period where the unit is dis-

Table 10. Gear Box Trouble-Shooting Chart

- - - - - -

RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED
PROBLEM INSPECTION CORRECTIVE ACTION PROBLEM INSPECTION CORRECTIVE ACTION

Overheating 1. Oil cooler Check flow of coolant and Shaft Failure 4. High transient Applycouplingscapableof
operation oil flow. Measure oil tem- (continued) loading absorbing shocks. Use
perature into and out of coupl~ngswith shear plns.
cooler. Check cooler 5. Torsional or lat- Adjust system masselastic
internally for build u p of era1 vibrations characteristics to control
depos~tsfrom coolant critical speed location.
water. Possibly coupling geome-
2. Is oil level too low Check o i l level indicator. try can be modified.
or too high 6. Cracksdue to Note cause of fretting and
3. Bearing Make sure bearingsare not fretting correct. Press fits between
installation pinched and properly corrosions gear and shaft.
adjusted.
4. Grade and condi- Check that oil is specified
tion of 011 grade. Inspectoil toseeif it Oil Leakage 1. Exceed oil level Check otl level ind~cator.
is Oxidized, dirty or with 2. Is breather open Check 011breather.
high sludge content. 3. Are oil drains Check that all oil drain
5. Lubrication Check operation of oil open locations are free and
System pump. Make sure suct~on clean.
side is not sucking air. 4. Oil seals Check oil sealsand replace
Measure flow. Check if oil if worn. Check condition of
passages are free. Inspect shaft under seal and pol~sh
oil line pressure regulator, I! necessary.
nozzles and filters to be
5. Plugs at drains, Apply sealant and tighten
sure they are free of
levels, and pipe fittings.
obstruction.
fittings
6. Coupling float Check coupling alignment
6. Housings and Tighten cap screws or
and alignment. and adjust end float.
caps bolts. If not effective.
Shaft Failure 1. Type of coupling Rigrd couplings between remove hous~ng cover and
rigidly supported shafts caps. Clean mating sur-
can cause shaft failure. faces and apply new seal-
Replace with coupllng to tng compound. Reassem-
provide required flexibility ble. Check compresston
and lateral float. joints by tightening
2. Coupling Realign equipment as fasteners firmly.
Alignment required.
3. Excessive Over- Reduce overhung load.
hung Load Use outboard bearing or Unusual or 1. Check gears and See Tables 7.8 B 9
replace with higher increasing bearings
capacity unit. noise
CHAPTER 11

assembled a n d overhauled. It is more common to BIBLIOGRAPHY

note deterioration of a bearing or gear and replace 1. AGMA Information Sheet 217.01, Gear Scoring
the particular component a t a convenient time. Design Guide for Aerospace Spur and Helical
Usually the gearbox is supplied with a n operating Power Gears, 1965.
and maintenance manual which describes how
to assemble a n d disassemble the unit. If the user 2. AGMA Information Sheet 225.01, Strength of Spur,
is not completely familiar with the equipment, it Helical, Herringbone and Bevel Gear Teeth,
would be prudent to have a factory representative 1967.
accomplish any major component replacements. 3. AGMA Information Sheet 215.01, Surface Dura-
bility (Pitting) of Spur, Helical, Herringbone
and Bevel Gear Teeth, 1966.
Spare Parts 4. AGMA Specification 250.03, Lubrication of Indus-
Spare gears or bearings for a gear unit will not trial Enclosed Gear Drives, 1972.
necessarily be readily available, particularly if
the gearbox design was in some man- 5. American Petroleum Institute Standard 613, Second
ner. When purchasing the drive the user should Edition, Special Purpose Gear Units for Refin-
ery Services, February 1977.
request a recommended spares list and determine
what the availability of those parts will be. The 6. Application Notes, Bently Nevada Catalog.
user and manufacturer can then arrive a t some
agreement over what spares will be available 7. Bearing Design and Application, Wilcock and
and where they will be stored. Booser, McGraw Hill, 1957.

BIOGRAPHY
Peter Lynwander
Manager, Drive Systems
American Lohmann Corporation
At American Lohmann, Mr. Lynwander is respon-
sible for the analysis, design and development of
enclosed gear drives. Product lines of parallel
shaft and planetary high speed transmissions are
being introduced under his direction.
From 1959to 1978, he was with AVCO-Lycoming
Division, a gas turbine manufacturer, where he
headed up the Mechanical Components Group.
H i s responsibilities included turbine engine
gears, bearings, seals, clutches and lubrication
systems. He established computerized procedures
for the analysis and design of gear teeth and par-
ticipated in numerous turbine engine power and
accessory gearbox programs.
Mr. Lynwander h a s a BSME (1959) and MSME
(1964) from the University of Bridgeport and is a
registered Professional Engineer. He is the Chair-
m a n of the Wbology Division of the Aerospace
Gearing Committee of the American Gear Manu-
facturers Association. He h a s authored numerous
publications concerning gearing, s e a l s , a n d
clutches.