Wear area prediction method for assessing micro polymer gears wear

Accurate wear assessment is of significant importance in multi-stage transmission systems, particularly for micro polymer gears. Herein, we proposed a prediction method that employs wear area as a key parameter for gear wear assessment, specifically targeting applications in micro frictional pairs. The friction coefficient and wear coefficient of PEEK-0Cr17Ni4Cu4Nb pair were measured and used in wear area simulation. Then, a finite element method (FEM) was developed to predict the wear area, then gear wear tests were conducted on a dedicated test rig to obtain measured wear area values for comparison with the simulation. The results revealed strong agreement between the simulated and measured data during the mid-to-late wear stages, achieving an accuracy of over 90%. Furthermore, the proposed method was validated under varying random vibration condition. This assessment approach shows great potential for evaluating the service life of micro polymer gears.