We're thrilled to announce the publication of two groundbreaking papers under the IDERPLANE project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. These studies mark a significant step forward in the design and assessment of highly reliable planet bearings for aerospace applications, addressing the critical challenge of Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) in planetary gear bearings found in aerospace epicyclic modules.
The first paper, submitted for publication in "Forschung im Ingenieurwesen – Springer," delves into the Mode III crack propagation under Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) in integrated thin-rimmed planetary gears and bearings. Authored by an international team led by Eng. Prasad Mahendra Rao from Politecnico di Milano, this study is a part of the IDERPLANE project. It brings to light the design and development of a test gearbox for full-scale testing of a 3-gear train planet gears layout, aimed at improving the reliability of planet bearings in aerospace applications, such as Geared Turbofans (GTFs) and Main Gearboxes (MGBs) in aircraft. The research emphasizes the importance of mixed-mode crack propagation and the necessity of a comprehensive approach combining numerical simulations and experimental tests to address subsurface cracks and their propagation paths
The second paper, published in "Lubricants" by Franco Concli and Marco N. Mastrone from the Faculty of Engineering, Free University of Bolzano/Bozen, presents an advanced numerical study on the optimization of the lubrication system in a test rig designed for RCF experiments. This pioneering work, within the IDERPLANE framework, introduces an entire system analysis including shafts, gears, and bearings using a Finite Volume Computational Fluid Dynamics approach. The study successfully optimized the nozzle orientation to maximize lubrication capability, thereby enhancing the reliability of the test rig for conducting RCF tests
These publications not only contribute significantly to the scientific community by filling a gap in literature regarding RCF and lubrication in aerospace gear systems but also underline the IDERPLANE project's commitment to pioneering research for safer and more reliable aerospace applications. We extend our gratitude to the European Union for funding this essential research and look forward to further advancements in this critical field.
Stay tuned for more updates on our project’s progresses.
