Static stress analysis of a composite bevel gear using a three-dimensional finite element method

The possibility of using composite materials for power transmission spur gear, from a static strength point of view, have been proved by the authors in their previous study. In this present work an attempt has been made to study the behaviour of composite bevel gear from a static load point of view using a three-dimensional finite element method. The performance of two composite material bevel gears are presented and compared with a carbon steel gear. From a static strength point of view a glass epoxy bevel gear is slightly closer to a carbon steel bevel gear than a boron/epoxy bevel gear; but from a displacement point of view glass/epoxy deviates from that of carbon steel much more than boron/epoxy, unlike the case of a composite spur gear, where boron/epoxy was better both from strength and displacement points of view. Hence from the results it is concluded that composite materials such as boron/epoxy can be very much thought of as a material for power transmission bevel gears.