An evaluation method of gear profile deviations based on the consideration of installation errors

•Full model of the evaluation method of gear profile deviations considering installation errors.•Results showed that the method could significantly decrease influence of installation errors.•The application range of EMI-Profile method was simulated. Gear elemental deviations, such as profile deviations, are important items for gear accuracy evaluation and generally measured on a Gear Measurement Center or Coordinate Measuring Machine. There are installation errors when the gear installed on the shaft positioned in the center before measurement. Therefore, the evaluation method of gear profile deviations considering installation errors was introduced to measure gear profile deviations without the precise adjustment of installation errors in the study. In this method, installation errors were described as the installation eccentricity error and the installation wobbling error. Then, the installation error model, the coordinate transformation model and the tooth profile deviation evaluation method were established. The gear base circle center was calculated with the tooth profile measurement points. Then, the tooth profile measurement points under the machine coordinate system were transformed into the coordinates in the work-piece coordinate system. After that, the profile deviations were evaluated according to ISO 1328-1:2013. The measurement experiments were carried out on a gear measurement center under different installation errors. The application scope of the method was discussed by simulation. The range of the total profile deviation obtained with this method was 0.51 μm under four groups of the installation conditions, whereas the value obtained with GMC was 3.17 μm. Experimental results showed that this method could significantly decrease the influence of installation errors for measuring gear profile deviations under the rough positioning conditions of product gears.