Multi-objective Optimization of Gear Tooth Profile Modifications

In a context of permanent technological progress to produce ever more reliable and efficient industrial products, modern gears are increasingly subject to strict requirements in terms of load capacity, performance, noise generation, etc. The definition of tooth modifications in order to improve performance criteria such as transmission error fluctuations, efficiency, wear resistance, etc. is a challenging problem for designers because these criteria often evolve in a contradictory manner. This paper deals with the multi-objective optimization of tooth profile modifications and its main purpose is to propose an approach to help design tooth corrections in order to simultaneously optimize several objective functions. An optimization technique based on a specific algorithm (NSGA-II) is presented and its effectiveness in terms of multi-criterion optimization in the sense of Pareto optimal is analyzed based on a number of case studies.