An Improved Equipment for Measuring Heating Caused by Reactive Loads

In the case of gears that also perform a support function, taking into account the effect of reactive loads is an essential element of sizing. Pulsating or continuous but variable reactive loads can cause heating similar to or greater than in case of normal operation. This heating can be such that it significantly affects both the operating clearance and the strength characteristics of the gears. The effects of reactive loads were previously measured with the help of special drive units, which proved to be a useful method. However, due to the design of the drive units, these measurements were only able to demonstrate that the effect of the reactive loads is significant for the sizing even if they are not of a magnitude causing immediate failure of the gears. Our new research aims to quantify these effects for as many applications as possible. In this article, we introduce the features of the old method and the solutions, which aim to eliminate their disadvantages.