Simulating gear and bearing interactions in the presence of faults

This paper presents a simulation model for a gearbox test rig, in which a range of bearing faults can be implemented. Bearing faults sometimes manifest themselves by their interaction with meshing gears, and to simulate this it is necessary to model a whole system of gears and shafts supported in bearings. This has now been done for an experimental test rig through the incorporation of a time-varying, non-linear stiffness bearing model into a previously developed gear model. The incorporated bearing model is based on Hertzian contact theory, which relates the raceway displacement to the bearing load, and also accounts for the slippage between the elements. It has the capacity to model localised spalls (inner race, outer race and rolling elements), which are discussed in this part of the paper and extended inner and outer race faults (rough surfaces), which are discussed in part II. Even though the whole gearbox has not been modelled in detail, the non-linear time-varying gear-meshing operation is modelled in some detail. Both simulated and experimental localised fault signals (acceleration signals) were subjected to the same diagnostic techniques; namely spectrum comparisons, Spectral Kurtosis (SK) analysis and envelope analysis. The processed simulated signals showed a similar pattern to that observed in their measured counterparts and were found to have a characteristic, referred to in the literature as double pulses, corresponding to entry into and exit from the localised fault. The simulation model will be useful for producing typical fault signals from gearboxes to test new diagnostic algorithms, and possibly prognostic algorithms.