Gearmeshes

Gearmeshes are the geometric and physical representations of the contact between gears in a transmission. In practice, the term can refer to both the actual mating surfaces of gear teeth and the computational models used to analyze their interaction.

For involute gear profiles, contact occurs along the line of action between the gear teeth. The base circles, pressure angle, and addendum define the path and extent of contact, which is summarized in the gear mesh as contact ratios, tooth engagement sequences, and potential interference zones. Backlash is included in the mesh to reflect free play.

Geometric gear meshes are used in CAD and finite element analysis to simulate meshing forces, tooth contact stresses, and dynamic behavior. A gear mesh can be discretized into surface elements or point sets to model contact, lubrication, friction, and wear. Advanced models track the time-varying contact state as gears rotate.

Applications include gear design optimization, noise and vibration prediction, and durability assessment. Standards for gear geometry exist in ISO and AGMA guidelines; mesh quality, accuracy of tooth profiles, and proper representation of relief affect simulation fidelity.