ZF Windpower gains a better understanding of gear behaviour in wind turbines
“With fast, accurate simulations of planetary gear systems, ZF Wind Power accelerates design analyses and achieves more robust, reliable designs.”
ZF Windpower is active in sustainable energy and develops technology for drive systems. In this type of application, gear systems play a crucial role: they convert forces and rotations so that an installation can operate efficiently and reliably. To design such systems effectively, accurate insight is needed into how gears behave under load.
An important aspect of this is a planetary gear system. This is a compact gear arrangement in which several gears work together to distribute the load. Such systems are often used when high forces need to be transmitted in a limited space, but they also place high demands on the accuracy of gear contact, as small deviations have a direct impact on performance, vibrations, and wear.
ZF Windpower wanted to improve its ability to simulate how such a planetary gear system behaves, and in particular how the Static Transmission Error (STE) evolves. This error metric describes the extent to which the transmission of motion between gears deviates from ideal behaviour. This small deviation plays an important role in the quality and reliability of a design.
ZF Windpower therefore worked together with Flanders Make @ KU Leuven, which used its internally developed analysis tool for gear systems to simulate the behaviour of planetary gear stages. The model took into account various factors that play a role in practice, such as gear stiffness, system support, and adjustments to the microgeometry of the gears. This resulted in an approach that is accurate, flexible, and computationally efficient.
The added value of this approach lies in the combination of detail and speed. By realistically simulating gear behaviour without long computation times, ZF gains usable insights more quickly during analysis and design. This helps to better substantiate design choices and identify potential problems at an earlier stage.
For ZF Windpower, this collaboration therefore provides a stronger framework for better understanding and designing planetary gear systems. At the same time, this case shows how internally developed research expertise at Flanders Make @ KU Leuven can be translated into a concrete industrial application with direct relevance for sustainable energy.
