Diagnosis of tooth surface failure by wavelet transform of dynamic characteristics

This paper deals with a diagnosis of tooth surface failure by the wavelet t ransform. The vibration acceleration of the gear box and the tooth root str ain were measured and the tooth surfaces were observed during the fatigue t est. A tooth surface of the gear was damaged by spalling failure with the p rogress of the fatigue test. Using the analysis of the vibration, a failed tooth could be diagnosed, when one tooth failed. However, in the case of ad joining plural failed teeth, it was difficult to diagnose each failed tooth . The failure positions on a tooth surface could possibly be detected using the time-frequency analysis of the dynamic tooth root strain. (C) 2000 Els evier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.