Contact pattern surveying

Contact pattern surveying is a tool for determining the size and position of load-free contact patterns and contact patterns under load. To standardize contact pattern measurement, the shape and position are described using general values. For this purpose, characteristic contact pattern points were defined and dimensions and references were determined for useful description of the size and position of contact patterns.

The contact pattern is measured equally for the pinion and crown wheel. The position of the contact pattern can be determined with respect to the actual or theoretical tooth contact pattern. The distances and contact pattern dimensions are both calculated as chord dimensions and approximated via the length of the development of a section curve along the curved flank. The distances are also determined as projection dimensions in the radial projection of the flank.