Optimization on Nonlinear Dynamics of Gear Rattle in Automotive Transmission System

Abstract

Recently, gear rattle noise is gradually becoming a nonignorable issue involving comfortableness in automotive transmission for a car. Generally, the rattle noise is influenced by nonlinear dynamic of multiple pairs of idler gears in the multistage gear transmission system. Optimization methods based on nonlinear rattle dynamic analysis are worthy of further study to control the noise. In this research, an equivalent rattle dynamic model of the idler gear is proposed, and the nonlinear rattle dynamic responses are solved based on the integral method. The effect laws of key factors on nonlinear dynamic performance are investigated by using a bifurcation diagram, spectrum map, and Poincaré map. Finally, the gear backlash, equivalent mass, and rotational speed are optimized based on Kriging surrogate model (KSM) and differential evolution (DE) algorithm by taking the minimization of the maximum rattle noise as the optimal object. It can be concluded that the rattle dynamics of the idler gear show rich nonlinear characteristics as the parameters change. The proposed method can not only reduce the sound pressure level of rattle noise but also provide a viable path and reference value for the low-noise design of the gear transmission system.