A new gear tester from Promess Inc., Brighton, Mich. (promessinc.com), measures tooth-to-tooth contact variations in both directions at each degree of rotation, and can take 10,000 samples/sec.
This lets it monitor and control torque-to-turn requirements of the assembly being tested. The device can also be used to monitor and apply axial loads.
The test station uses high-resolution angular encoders on the input and output shafts to measure angular position. Both shafts are also driven by a torque functional tester with built-in torque sensors. The input shaft puts torque on the assembly being tested while the output shaft applies braking torque. The tester also measures backlash by reversing the direction of torque being applied by both shafts and measuring the resulting displacement. Software collects and analyzes data, including minimum, average, and maximum backlash, and puts it in graphical form.