Gear box efficiency measurement

Hi CSM Engineer:

Thanks for your response. The problem I have is that my company had decided to design the gearboxes internally and had them manufactured. This approach was taken before I started here -- of course!

I basically have to develop a performance curve using the best approach, and take into account various factors that you mentioned, such as torque, temperature and other environmental parameters.

Ultimately these gearboxes are supposed to operate in an uncontrolled desert environment.

Thanks again for your input,

-Mike

Mouth the motor seperatly from the gear box so that the motor is on a treadle (door) measure the force an the treadle. Use the motor rpm and torque for power input. Do the same thing with the a 100 ftlb load on a cable and drum. The idea of the load is to get the E under that load.

Or simply do the gear box with out the load.

h2om@hotmail.com

Dear Guest:

Thank you for your help. You sure sound like someone who is in this business. You are probably using a very related lingo that I am having a little hard time understanding exactly what I'm supposed to do. But I am excited about pursuing your idea if you explain it in more detail.

Also, if you know of companies that I can put under contract to perform this task, I'll definitely be interested.

Thank you for taking the time to help and have a great day,

-Mike

Hi:

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I will check the link ASAP.

Mike

Hello Dave,

Searching the internet about gearbox efficiency, I found this thread.

My company www.torquetest.com has devised a way to measure gearbox efficiency direct. The usual indirect way is to measure torque and speed = power at input side and output side. The division output/input power should give efiiciency. The problem is the torque sensor measurement spread in real life setup. Although accuracy CLASS of 0.2 or even 0.1 % is stated in component specification, the real, i.e. controllable, reproduceable result is 1 - 2 % of full-scale range, and thus spoiled beyond use. If input power is approx. 96 - 98 HP and output power is 98 - 100 HP, efficiency figure itself is not determined. And then the objective is to make and measure small improvements in efficiency, which are undistinguishable. Above is only when loading both the 2 torque sensors to above 80 % of their respective specified capacity. However, especially for vehicle gearboxes, the main interest for efficiency is at the 5 - 20 % load range of maximum capacity. Because that is where the main part of running time is.

TorqueTest makes teststands for generating, controlling and measuring torque load and speed on motors, gearboxes, variator belts and chains, couplings, drive shafts, servo and frequency controllers.

For gearboxes and axle drives we developed the 4-square system further than anybody. Even multiple axle drive outputs can be loaded with blind power = real mechanical power. Very energy efficient at 10 - 15 % energy input and corresponding low supply power connection.

Direct efficiency measurement, avoiding above problem, is a separate development we have for variator belts and chains, wind energy gearboxes (from 1 Nm up to > 1 MNm torque), and other transmission components.

For further info, please contact us.