An investigation into the vibration of harmonic drive systems

Harmonic drive systems are precise and specific transmission gear systems which are beneficial in terms of the high transmission ratio and almost zero backlash. These inherent and spectacular properties result in using this mechanism in robotic and space sciences where the precision and lightwieght play an important role. This paper presents a vibration analysis of harmonic drive systems using the shell theory. Equations of vibration for the flexspline and the circular spline of the system are derived and used to find the natural frequencies for both parts and, moreover, vibration response of the system under the operating condition is calculated. Also, obtained vibration equations are utilized to study the effects of different involved parameters such as the geometry of the flexspline and its gear tooth, eccentricity, and unbalancing on the vibrational behavior of the system.