Fatigue Life Evaluation of the Plastic Gear

플라스틱 기어의 피로수명 평가 및 수명 예측

Through the fatigue test of plastic gears using polyacetal polymer, this research aims at providing basic data for not only specifying operation conditions of plastic gears, but also designing dimensions of plastic gears with giving fatigue life and the estimated equation of fatigue life of plastic gears. That is, from the fatigue life curves, the estimated equation of fatigue life of plastic gears is taken out. For the estimated equation of fatigue life of plastic gears, this research provides two test methods; one is preserving non-limited temperature of tooth flank, the other is preserving limited temperature of tooth flank. As results, how the temperature of tooth flank affects the fatigue life is shown. In addition, based on the endurance limit, the essential factors of the unit load and K-factor are determined, which are needed in the design of gear by bending strength and surface durability.