Examination of Vibration Behaviors of Lattice Structures in Helicopter Transmission

Year 2025, Volume: 11 Issue: 3, 465 - 480, 31.12.2025

Yusuf Sağlam , Harun Gökçe

Abstract

One of the persistent challenges in helicopter design is the mitigation of vibration originating from transmission systems, where gear housings play a critical role in both structural integrity and dynamic response. Although numerous approaches have been investigated for vibration reduction, limited attention has been given to the use of Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS)-based lattice structures in aerospace transmission applications. Addressing this gap, the present study evaluates the vibration and structural performance of gear housings designed with Gyroid, Diamond, and Schwarz topologies. The housings were fabricated using additive manufacturing techniques, and their dynamic behavior was experimentally assessed on a custom-designed test rig. Vibration signals acquired from accelerometer sensors were processed through FFT, RMS, and envelope analysis methods. Complementary to the experimental campaign, finite element analysis was employed to investigate stress distributions across the geometries. The results demonstrated that the Gyroid structure provided the most favorable dynamic response, yielding the lowest RMS value along the Z-axis (2.61 m/s²), while the Schwarz structure exhibited the lowest stress value (3.46 MPa). Overall, the findings highlight that TPMS-based lattice housings have the potential to attenuate vibration propagation through their multi-layered cellular topology while maintaining adequate structural strength. This suggests that such geometries may serve as promising alternatives to conventional solid gear housings in helicopter transmission systems, thereby contributing to both weight reduction and vibration control in aerospace applications.

Keywords

Dişli titreşimi , Hücresel kafes yapı , Topoloji optimizasyonu , Test düzeneği , Sinyal analizi

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