The development of a planetary gearbox for industrial robotic applications

Important results from the project

This project includes design, validation of function, manufacturability and customer interestfor a planetary gear train concept with new solution for improved precision when used in for example indistoial robots. Design, simulations, machinability studies and building a prototype gear box verified that the concept fulfills the expaectations and that the gear box is manufacturable. Market research and product cost analysis shows an interest from the market and that the gear box may have a competitive price with improved performance compared to today used cyclooid gear trains.

Expected long term effects

Simulations and measurements on the prototype gear train shows that the concept fulfills the technical needs from the robot manufacturers. Macinability test with new untestewd methods shows that the hardened ring gears can be manufactured with necessary gear quality to acceptable cost. Heat distotion at hardening of the ring gears affect final gear quality and machining cost but tests shows that those problems may be manageable. Market research shows a clear interest for the gear train. Unic innovations have been patent pending and granted. Swepart see a potential for the gear train.

Approach and implementation

Based on new innovations to improve performance of planetary gear trains for improved precision some different concepts and sizes have been designed. Dynamic simulations and calculations have been made at LTH and LNU to improve understanding of the gear train kinematic and optimization. A prototype has been built for the most challenging design. Measurements have been done to validate the unic properties for this design. The unic solutions have been patent-pending. New and stronger steels and new machining methods have been evaluated by simulation and machining tests.