Gear Tooth Profile Reconstruction via Geometrically Compensated Laser Triangulation Measurements

Precision modeling of the hydraulic gear pump pressure dynamics depends on the accurate prediction of volumetric displacement in the inter-tooth spaces of the gear. By accurate reconstruction of the gear profile, detailed transient volumetric information can be determined. Therefore, this paper reports a non-contact gear measurement device using two opposing laser triangulation sensors, and the key geometrical models to reconstruct the profile with geometrical error compensation. An optimization-based key parameter calculation method is also proposed to find the unknown orientation of the sensor. Finally, an experimental setup is established, the performance of the device is tested and the geometric model is validated. Initial results showed that the method is able to reconstruct the target tooth profile and compensated results can reduce the geometrical error by up to 98% compared to the uncalibrated ones.