Influence of reinforcement on composite gear metrology

Injection molded polymer composite gears are being used in many power and motion transmission applications. In order to widen the utilization of reinforced polymers for precision motion transmission and noise less applications, the quality or accuracy of molded gears should be increased. Since the injection molded gear quality is significantly influenced by the material shrinkage behaviour, there is a need to understand the influence of fiber orientation on part shrinkage behaviour and hence the gear quality. Unreinforced and 20% short glass fiber reinforced Nylon 6/6 spur gears were injection molded in the laboratory and computer aided simulations of gear manufacturing was also carried out. Results of the mold flow simulation of gear manufacturing were correlated with the actual fiber orientation and measured metrological parameters of the molded gears. Actual orientation of the fibers near the tooth profile, weld line region and injection points of molded gears were observed using optical microscope. Fiber alignment along the tooth profile restricts shrinkage and induces anisotropic shrinkage, which significantly decreases the deviation of involute profile parameter from the design value. Fibers embedded in the molded skin surface increases the gear tooth profile form and lead form deviations. Non-alignment of fibers across the gear tooth section increases the tooth thickness, tooth-to-tooth spacing and radial runout deviations from design values.