Power circulating test systems and methods for wear testing

1 . A system for testing wear of a test article, the system comprising:

a power-circulating transmission comprising a plurality of transmission components that are arranged in series to circulate motion along a continuous loop, wherein the test article is coupled to the power-circulating transmission along the continuous loop;

a clutch to selectively couple or decouple a first one of the transmission components and a second one of the transmission components such that the power-circulating transmission is in an engaged power-circulating state or a disengaged power-circulating state;

a brake to selectively inhibit motion of the first one of the transmission components when the power-circulating transmission is in the disengaged power-circulating state;

a starting-torque motor that applies a static torque load to the power-circulating transmission by rotating the second one of the transmission components relative to the first one of the transmission components that is held stationary by the brake when the power-circulating transmission is in the disengaged power-circulating state; and

a running motor that applies power to the power-circulating transmission to drive the motion along the continuous loop when the power-circulating transmission is in the engaged power-circulating state.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of transmission components of the power-circulating transmission comprises:

a first gear box;

a second gear box;

a first shaft extending between and coupled to the first gear box and the second gear box;

a second shaft extending between and coupled to the first gear box and the second gear box;

the running motor is coupled to the first shaft;

the starting-torque motor is coupled to the second shaft;

the second shaft comprises a second-shaft first section and a second-shaft second section;

the clutch selectively couples or decouples the second-shaft first section and the second-shaft second section; and

the brake selectively enables or inhibits motion of the second-shaft first section relative to the second-shaft second section.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the test article is integrated within one of the first gear box or the second gear box.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein:

the first shaft comprises a first-shaft first section and a first-shaft second section; and

the test article is coupled between the first-shaft first section and the first-shaft second section.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a running-torque motor that applies a dynamic torque load to the power-circulating transmission when the power-circulating transmission is in the engaged power-circulating state.

6 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising a controller,

wherein the controller:

directs operation of the running motor;

directs operation of the starting-torque motor; and

directs operation of the running-torque motor.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller:

directs operation of the clutch; and

directs operation of the brake.

8 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising a torque sensor that measures a torque load within the power-circulating transmission.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller comprises:

a master controller that generates command signals;

a running-motor controller that controls the running motor based on one of the command signals from the master controller and an RPM signal from the torque sensor;

a starting-torque-motor controller that controls the starting-torque motor based on one of the command signals from the master controller and a starting-torque signal from the torque sensor; and

a running-torque-motor controller that controls the running-torque motor based on one of the command signals from the master controller and a running-torque signal from the torque sensor.

10 . A system for testing wear of a test article, the system comprising:

a power-circulating transmission comprising a plurality of transmission components that are arranged in series to circulate motion along a continuous loop, wherein the test article is coupled to the power-circulating transmission along the continuous loop;

a starting-torque motor that applies a static torque load to the power-circulating transmission when the power-circulating transmission is in a disengaged power-circulating state to induce torsional load;

a running motor that applies power to the power-circulating transmission to drive the motion along the continuous loop when the power-circulating transmission is in an engaged power-circulating state; and

a running-torque motor that applies a dynamic torque load to the power-circulating transmission when the power-circulating transmission is in the engaged power-circulating state to compensate for torque losses due to wear during operation.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein:

the plurality of transmission components of the power-circulating transmission comprises:

a first gear box;

a second gear box;

a first shaft extending between and coupled to the first gear box and the second gear box;

a second shaft extending between and coupled to the first gear box and the second gear box;

the running motor is coupled to the first shaft;

the running-torque motor is coupled to the first shaft; and

the second shaft comprises a second-shaft first section and a second-shaft second section.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the test article is integrated within one of the first gear box or the second gear box.

13 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a torque sensor that measures at least one of a torque load and a rotational speed within the power-circulating transmission.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein:

the first shaft comprises a first-shaft first section and a first-shaft second section; and

the test article is coupled between the first-shaft first section and the first-shaft second section.

15 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising a controller,

wherein the controller:

directs operation of the running motor based on signals from the torque sensor; and

directs operation of the running-torque motor based on the signals from the torque sensor.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the starting-torque motor applies the static torque load to the power-circulating transmission by rotating the second-shaft second section relative to the second-shaft first section that is held stationary.

17 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising:

a clutch to selectively couple or decouple the second-shaft first section and the second-shaft second section such that the power-circulating transmission is in the engaged power-circulating state or the disengaged power-circulating state; and

a brake to selectively inhibit motion of the second-shaft first section relative to the second-shaft second section when the power-circulating transmission is in the disengaged power-circulating state.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the controller directs operation of the starting-torque motor based on the signals from the torque sensor.

19 . A method for testing wear of a test article, the method comprising:

coupling the test article to a power-circulating transmission comprising a plurality of transmission components that are arranged in series to circulate motion along a continuous loop;

decoupling a first one of the transmission components and a second one of the transmission components such that the power-circulating transmission is in a disengaged power-circulating state;

with the power-circulating transmission in the disengaged power-circulating state, inhibiting motion of the first one of the transmission components;

with the power-circulating transmission in the disengaged power-circulating state, applying a static torque load to the power-circulating transmission using a starting-torque motor by rotating the second one of the transmissions component relative to the first one of the transmission components;

coupling the first one of the transmission components and the second one of the transmission components such that the power-circulating transmission is in an engaged power-circulating state;

with the power-circulating transmission in the engaged power-circulating state, enabling motion of the first one of the transmission components;

with the power-circulating transmission in the engaged power-circulating state, applying power to the power-circulating transmission using a running motor; and

circulating motion along the continuous loop.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising, with the power-circulating transmission in the engaged power-circulating state, applying a dynamic torque load to the power-circulating transmission using a running-torque motor.