Effects of complex graphite-like carbon coating on gear vibration noise

Abstract In this paper, the effects of substrate surface roughness and the addition of yttrium, cerium and tantalum on thickness uniformity of graphite-like carbon (GLC) coatings on gears were studied by magnetron sputtering method using mosaic targets. And noise reduction effects of gear pump deposited with complex GLC coatings were evaluated at different rotate speeds. The results showed that target-substrate distance, sputtering angle and surface roughness had influences on thickness uniformity of GLC coatings on gear. The introduction of elements Y, Ce and Ta into GLC coatings could effectively improve their thickness uniformity. The complex GLC coating with optimal thickness uniformity on gear exhibited significantly reduction effect for gear noise and the reduction effect for axial vibration was better than that of radial vibrations. Compared with uncoated gears, the noise for the coated gears was decreased by 10 dB at 2000 rpm. Good high-frequency noise reduction was obtained, which could be decreased by 19 dB in the range of 4000–10,000 Hz.