Gearbox Load and Life Simulation Software

The overall objective of the proposed effort is to build a methodology and the associated computational tools that predict component life for rotor wing drive systems. This will be achieved by adding mission load variability to VEXTEC’s existing gear component life prediction tool. The goal is a framework that accounts for mission variability and gear fatigue damage and produces a comprehensive assessment of drive system performance in an operational environment. This framework will incorporate the use of both high and low fidelity models to predict component performance, and will be based on existing VEXTEC durability prediction software used for Army land vehicles. This software accounts for each component in a complex system to produce an overall drive system life prediction. The tool will be developed in Phase I for a simplified H60 helicopter gearbox system. The tool will be used to predict the system’s performance based on component material and loading, system design, and mission load variability. The successful prediction of system performance will be used to demonstrate conceptual feasibility of implementing the component life prediction tool.