Harmonic Drive

R2026b

High-ratio speed reducer based on elastic deformation of an elliptical gear

Libraries:
Simscape / Driveline / Gears

Description

The Harmonic Drive block represents a compact, high-ratio speed reduction mechanism that contains three key components:

Strain wave generator
Elliptical gear
Circular ring gear

A harmonic drive is backlash-free with a high-ratio of speed reduction by design. This is advantageous for systems that require precise gear positioning. The base shaft turns the strain wave generator, which is elliptical with bearings around the circumference. The bearings allow the strain wave generator to rotate within the elliptical gear. The elliptical gear is flexible, and the motion of the strain wave generator causes the vertices of the elliptical gear to move. This deformation of the ellipse causes the teeth of the elliptical gear to slowly climb the teeth of the circular ring gear. The ring gear has more teeth than the elliptical gear to allow for this motion. The elliptical gear transmits torque to the output shaft while rotating within the ring gear.

Meshing occurs concurrently at both vertices of the elliptical gear. This design doubles the teeth in mesh, thereby increasing the torque capacity of the drive system.

The internal meshing between the two gears causes the elliptical gear axis to spin counter to the elliptical strain wave generator.

Large reduction ratios arise from the near-equal gear tooth numbers. The effective gear reduction ratio is

$r = \frac{n_{E}}{n_{C} - n_{E}},$

where:

r is the gear reduction ratio.
n_C is the number of teeth on the circular ring gear.
n_E is the number of teeth on the elliptical gear.

The Simple Gear block provides the foundation for this block.

Ring Gear Rotation

You can enable rotation of the circular ring gear by selecting the Ring gear rotation parameter. The block enables port R, which allows you to control the rotational motion of the ring gear by using a mechanical rotational input signal.

Note

The Ring gear rotation parameter determines how you parameterize meshing losses.

When you clear Ring gear rotation, the block calculates the efficiencies using the Simple Gear block implementation. In this case, you parameterize the meshing losses the same way you would for the Simple Gear block. When you select Ring gear rotation, the block calculates the efficiencies by implementing the Planetary Gear block. For this case, you parameterize the meshing losses the same way you would for the Planetary Gear block.

Thermal Model

You can model the effects of heat flow and temperature change by enabling the optional thermal port. To enable the port, set Friction model to Temperature-dependent efficiency.

Variables

Use the Variables settings to set the priority and initial target values for the block variables before simulating. For more information, see Set Priority and Initial Target for Block Variables.

Ports

Conserving

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B — Base shaft
mechanical rotational

Mechanical rotational conserving port associated with the base shaft and the strain wave generator.

When you select Ring gear rotation, this port corresponds to port S of the Planetary Gear block.

Programmatic Use

Port: B

F — Follower shaft
mechanical rotational

Mechanical rotational conserving port associated with the follower shaft and the flexible spline.

When you select Ring gear rotation, this port corresponds to port R of the Planetary Gear block.

Programmatic Use

Port: F

C — Circular spline
mechanical rotational

Mechanical rotational conserving port associated with the circular spline.

This port corresponds to port C of the Planetary Gear block.

Dependencies

To enable this port, select Ring gear rotation.

Programmatic Use

Port: C

H — Heat transfer
thermal

Thermal conserving port associated with heat transfer.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Friction model to either Temperature-dependent efficiency or Temperature and load-dependent efficiency.

Programmatic Use

Port: H

Parameters

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Main

Ring gear rotation — Option to simulate ring gear motion
`off` (default) | `on`

Option to simulate ring gear rotation. Selecting this parameter enables port R.

Programmatic Use

Parameter:	`model_circular_spline_rotation`
Values:	`"true"` \| `"false"`

Number of teeth on elliptical gear — Elliptical gear teeth
`100` (default) | positive scalar

Total number of teeth protruding outward from the elliptical gear perimeter. The value of this parameter should be slightly smaller than the number of teeth on the circular ring gear. The default difference of two teeth is common. The ratio of the two gear tooth numbers defines the relative angular velocities of the base and follower shafts.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: n_ellipse

Number of teeth on circular gear — Circular gear teeth
`102` (default) | positive scalar

Number of teeth protruding inward from the circular ring gear perimeter. The value of this parameter should be slightly larger than the number of teeth on the elliptical gear. The default difference of two teeth is common. The ratio of the two gear tooth numbers defines the relative angular velocities of the base and follower shafts.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: n_circle

Meshing Losses

Friction model — Gear friction model
`No meshing losses - Suitable for HIL simulation` (default) | `Constant efficiency` | `Load-dependent efficiency` | `Temperature-dependent efficiency` | `Temperature and load-dependent efficiency`

Option to include friction meshing losses:

No meshing losses - Suitable for HIL simulation — The block ignores meshing losses.
Constant efficiency — You specify a component efficiency that remains constant throughout the simulation.
Load-dependent efficiency — The block reduces torque transfer by a variable efficiency factor. This factor falls in the range 0 < η < 1 and varies with the torque load.
Temperature-dependent efficiency — The block determines the torque transfer efficiency from the input at port H. This factor falls in the range 0 < η ≤ 1 and is independent from load.
Temperature and load-dependent efficiency — The block reduces torque transfer by a variable efficiency factor that depends on temperature and load. This factor falls in the range 0 < η < 1 and varies with the torque load.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, clear Ring gear rotation.

Programmatic Use

Parameter:	`friction_model`
Values:	`"sdl.enum.gear_efficiencies_load.off"` \| `"sdl.enum.gear_efficiencies_load.constant"` \| `"sdl.enum.gear_efficiencies_load.loadDependent"` \| `"sdl.enum.gear_efficiencies_load.temperature"` \| `"sdl.enum.gear_efficiencies_load.temperatureLoad"`

Efficiency — Torque transfer efficiency
`0.95` (default) | positive scalar in the range of (0, 1]

Torque transfer efficiency (η) between base and follower shafts. This parameter is inversely proportional to the meshing power losses.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, clear Ring gear rotation and set Friction model to Constant efficiency.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: efficiency

Follower power threshold — Value above which the full efficiency factor is applied
`0.001` `W` (default) | positive scalar

Absolute value of the follower shaft power above which the full efficiency factor is in effect. A hyperbolic tangent function smooths the efficiency factor from zero when at rest to the full efficiency value at the power threshold.

As a guideline, the power threshold should be lower than the expected power transmitted during simulation. Higher values might cause the block to underestimate efficiency losses. However, very low values may raise the computational cost of simulation.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, clear Ring gear rotation and set Friction model to Constant efficiency.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: pwr_thr

Input shaft torque at no load — Net torque on idle shaft
`0.1` `N*m` (default) | positive scalar

Net torque (τ_idle) acting on the input shaft in idle mode, e.g., when torque transfer to the output shaft equals zero. For nonzero values, the power input in idle mode completely dissipates due to meshing losses.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, clear Ring gear rotation and set Friction model to Load-dependent efficiency.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: T_noload

Nominal output torque — Value of torque at which efficiency is normalized
`5` `N*m` (default) | positive scalar

Output torque (τ_F) at which to normalize the load-dependent efficiency.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, clear Ring gear rotation and set Friction model to Load-dependent efficiency.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: T_nom

Efficiency at nominal output torque — Transfer efficiency
`0.95` (default) | positive scalar in the range of (0,1]

Torque transfer efficiency (η) at the nominal output torque. Larger efficiency values correspond to greater torque transfer between the input and output shafts.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, clear Ring gear rotation and set Friction model to Load-dependent efficiency.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: efficiency_nom

Follower angular velocity threshold — Value above which the full efficiency factor is applied
`0.01` `rad/s` (default) | positive scalar

Absolute value of the follower shaft angular velocity above which the full efficiency factor is in effect (ω_F). Below this value, a hyperbolic tangent function smooths the efficiency factor to one, lowering the efficiency losses to zero when at rest.

As a guideline, the angular velocity threshold should be lower than the expected angular velocity during simulation. Higher values might cause the block to underestimate efficiency losses. However, very low values may raise the computational cost of simulation.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, clear Ring gear rotation and set Friction model to Load-dependent efficiency.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: w_thr

Temperature — Array for tabular parameterization of efficiency
`[280 300 320]` `K` (default) | vector

Array of temperatures used to construct an efficiency lookup table. The array values must increase from left to right. The temperature array must be the same size as the efficiency array in temperature-dependent models. The array must be the same size as the Efficiency array.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, clear Ring gear rotation and set Friction model to either:

Temperature-dependent efficiency
Temperature and load-dependent efficiency

Programmatic Use

Parameter: temperature_TLU

Efficiency — Array of gear efficiencies
`[0.95 0.9 0.85]` (default) | vector

Array of efficiencies used to construct a 1-D temperature-efficiency lookup table for temperature-dependent efficiency models. The array elements are the efficiencies at the temperatures in the Temperature array. The two arrays must be the same size.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, clear Ring gear rotation and set Friction model to either:

Temperature-dependent efficiency
Temperature and load-dependent efficiency

Programmatic Use

Parameter: efficiency_TLU

Follower power threshold — Power below which numerical smoothing is applied
`0.001` `W` (default) | positive scalar

Absolute value of the follower shaft power above which the full efficiency factor is in effect. A hyperbolic tangent function smooths the efficiency factor between zero when at rest and the value provided by the temperature-efficiency lookup table when at the power threshold.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, clear Ring gear rotation and set Friction model to Temperature-dependent efficiency.

Load at elliptical gear — Elliptical-gear loads for tabular parameterization of efficiency
`[1 5 10]` `N*m` (default) | numerical array

Array of elliptical-gear loads used to construct a 2-D temperature-load-efficiency lookup table for temperature-and-load-dependent efficiency models. The array values must increase from left to right. The load array must be the same size as a single column of the efficiency matrix.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, clear Ring gear rotation and set Friction model to Temperature and load-dependent efficiency.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: load_TLU

Efficiency matrix — Efficiency array for tabular parameterization of efficiency
`[ 0.85 0.8 0.75; 0.95 0.9 0.85; 0.85 0.8 0.7 ]` (default) | numerical array

Matrix of component efficiencies used to construct a 2-D temperature-load-efficiency lookup table. The matrix elements are the efficiencies at the temperatures in the Temperature array and at the loads in the Load at elliptical gear array.

The number of rows must be the same as the number of elements in the Temperature array. The number of columns must be the same as the number of elements in the Load at elliptical gear array.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, clear Ring gear rotation and set Friction model to Temperature and load-dependent efficiency.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: efficiency_TLU2

Follower angular velocity threshold — Angular velocity below which numerical smoothing is applied
`0.01` `rad/s` (default) | positive scalar

Absolute value of the follower shaft angular velocity above which the full efficiency factor is in effect. Below this value, a hyperbolic tangent function smooths the efficiency factor to one, lowering the efficiency losses to zero when at rest.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Friction model to Temperature and load-dependent efficiency.

Friction model — Friction model
`No meshing losses - Suitable for HIL simulation` (default) | `Constant efficiency` | `Temperature-dependent efficiency`

Friction model for the block:

No meshing losses - Suitable for HIL simulation — Gear meshing is ideal.
Constant efficiency — Transfer of torque between the gear wheel pairs is reduced by a constant efficiency, η, such that 0 < η ≤ 1.
Temperature-dependent efficiency — Transfer of torque between the gear wheel pairs is defined by the table lookup based on the temperature.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select Ring gear rotation.

Programmatic Use

Parameter:	`friction_model_cs_rotate`
Values:	`"sdl.enum.gear_friction.none"` \| `"sdl.enum.gear_friction.constant"` \| `"sdl.enum.gear_friction.thermal"`

Wave generator-flexspline and flexspline-ring ordinary efficiencies — Torque transfer efficiency vector
`[.96, .98]` (default) | vector

Vector of torque transfer efficiencies where the first element represents the relationship between the strain wave generator and the elliptical gear, and the second element represents the relationship between the elliptical gear and the circular ring gear.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select Ring gear rotation and set Friction model to Constant efficiency.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: efficiency_wffr

Temperature — Temperature
`[280, 300, 320]` `K` (default) | vector

Vector of temperatures used to construct a 1-D temperature-efficiency lookup table. The vector elements must increase from left to right.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select Ring gear rotation and set Friction model to Temperature-dependent efficiency.

Wave generator-flexspline efficiency — Sun gear to planet gear torque transfer efficiency
`[.95, .9, .85]` (default) | vector

Vector of output-to-input power ratios that describe the power flow from the strain wave generator to the elliptical gear. The block uses the values to construct a 1-D temperature-efficiency lookup table.

Each element is an efficiency that relates to a temperature in the Temperature vector. The length of the vector must be equal to the length of the Temperature vector. Each element in the vector must be in the range (0,1].

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select Ring gear rotation set Friction model to Temperature-dependent efficiency.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: efficiency_wf_TLU

Ring-planet efficiency — Torque transfer efficiency from the ring gear to the planet gear
`[.95, .9, .85]` (default) | vector

Vector of output-to-input power ratios that describe the power flow from the elliptical gear to the flexible gear. The block uses the values to construct a 1-D temperature-efficiency lookup table.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select Ring gear rotation set Friction model to Temperature-dependent efficiency.

Wave generator-ring and flexspline-ring power thresholds — Minimum efficiency power threshold for the sun-carrier and planet-carrier gear couplings
`[.001, .001]` `W` (default) | vector

Vector of power thresholds above which full efficiency factors apply. Enter the thresholds in the order strain wave generator-circular gear, elliptical gear-circular gear. Below these values, a hyperbolic tangent function smooths the efficiency factor.

When you set Friction model to Constant efficiency, the block lowers the efficiency losses to zero when no power is transmitted. When you set Friction model to Temperature-dependent efficiency, the block smooths the efficiency factors between zero when at rest and the values provided by the temperature-efficiency lookup tables at the power thresholds.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select Ring gear rotation set Friction model to Constant efficiency or Temperature-dependent efficiency.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: pwr_thr_wrfr

Viscous Losses

Viscous friction coefficients at base (B) and follower (F) — Fluid dynamic friction coefficients
`[0 0]` `N*m/(rad/s)` (default) | positive two-element vector

Two-element array with the viscous friction coefficients in effect at the base and follower shafts. The default array corresponds to zero viscous losses.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: mu_visc

Inertia

Inertia — Option to include inertia
`off` (default) | `on`

Whether to include inertia due to ring gear rotation.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select Ring gear rotation.

Programmatic Use

Parameter:	`model_inertia`
Values:	`"true"` \| `"false"`

Wave generator gear inertia — Inertia of the wave generator gear
`0.001` `kg*m^2` (default) | positive scalar

Inertia of the wave generator gear.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select Ring gear rotation and Inertia.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: wave_generator_inertia

Flexspline gear inertia — Inertia of the flexspline gear
`0.0005` `kg*m^2` (default) | positive scalar

Inertia of the flexspline gear.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select Ring gear rotation and Inertia.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: flexspline_inertia

Ring gear inertia — Ring gear inertia
`0.001` `kg*m^2` (default) | positive scalar

Inertia due to rotation of the ring gear.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select Ring gear rotation and Inertia.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: ring_inertia

Thermal Port

Thermal mass — Thermal mass
`50` `J/K` (default) | positive scalar

Thermal energy required to change the component temperature by a single degree. The greater the thermal mass, the more resistant the component is to temperature change.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: thermal_mass

Initial temperature — Initial temperature
`300` `K` (default) | positive scalar

Component temperature at the start of simulation. The initial temperature alters the component efficiency according to an efficiency vector that you specify, affecting the starting meshing or friction losses.

Programmatic Use

Parameter: T_init

Extended Capabilities

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C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Version History

Introduced in R2014a

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R2025a: Enumeration Updates

The Ring gear rotation and Inertia parameters now use check boxes. These parameters used drop downs in previous releases.

R2024b: Inertia updates

You now can specify the inertia of all gear subcomponents including the sun, ring, and carrier gears. You also now can include the effects of planet procession in the planet inertia behavior.

Harmonic Drive

Description

Ring Gear Rotation

Thermal Model

Variables

Ports

Conserving

B — Base shaft mechanical rotational

Programmatic Use

F — Follower shaft mechanical rotational

Programmatic Use

C — Circular spline mechanical rotational

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

H — Heat transfer thermal

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Parameters

Main

Ring gear rotation — Option to simulate ring gear motion off (default) | on

Programmatic Use

Number of teeth on elliptical gear — Elliptical gear teeth 100 (default) | positive scalar

Programmatic Use

Number of teeth on circular gear — Circular gear teeth 102 (default) | positive scalar

Programmatic Use

Meshing Losses

Friction model — Gear friction model No meshing losses - Suitable for HIL simulation (default) | Constant efficiency | Load-dependent efficiency | Temperature-dependent efficiency | Temperature and load-dependent efficiency

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Efficiency — Torque transfer efficiency 0.95 (default) | positive scalar in the range of (0, 1]

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Follower power threshold — Value above which the full efficiency factor is applied 0.001 W (default) | positive scalar

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Input shaft torque at no load — Net torque on idle shaft 0.1 N*m (default) | positive scalar

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Nominal output torque — Value of torque at which efficiency is normalized 5 N*m (default) | positive scalar

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Efficiency at nominal output torque — Transfer efficiency 0.95 (default) | positive scalar in the range of (0,1]

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Follower angular velocity threshold — Value above which the full efficiency factor is applied 0.01 rad/s (default) | positive scalar

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Temperature — Array for tabular parameterization of efficiency [280 300 320] K (default) | vector

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Efficiency — Array of gear efficiencies [0.95 0.9 0.85] (default) | vector

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Follower power threshold — Power below which numerical smoothing is applied 0.001 W (default) | positive scalar

Dependencies

Load at elliptical gear — Elliptical-gear loads for tabular parameterization of efficiency [1 5 10] N*m (default) | numerical array

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Efficiency matrix — Efficiency array for tabular parameterization of efficiency [ 0.85 0.8 0.75; 0.95 0.9 0.85; 0.85 0.8 0.7 ] (default) | numerical array

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Follower angular velocity threshold — Angular velocity below which numerical smoothing is applied 0.01 rad/s (default) | positive scalar

Dependencies

Friction model — Friction model No meshing losses - Suitable for HIL simulation (default) | Constant efficiency | Temperature-dependent efficiency

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Wave generator-flexspline and flexspline-ring ordinary efficiencies — Torque transfer efficiency vector [.96, .98] (default) | vector

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Temperature — Temperature [280, 300, 320] K (default) | vector

Dependencies

Wave generator-flexspline efficiency — Sun gear to planet gear torque transfer efficiency [.95, .9, .85] (default) | vector

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Ring-planet efficiency — Torque transfer efficiency from the ring gear to the planet gear [.95, .9, .85] (default) | vector

Dependencies

Wave generator-ring and flexspline-ring power thresholds — Minimum efficiency power threshold for the sun-carrier and planet-carrier gear couplings [.001, .001] W (default) | vector

Dependencies

Programmatic Use

Viscous Losses

B — Base shaft
mechanical rotational

F — Follower shaft
mechanical rotational

C — Circular spline
mechanical rotational

H — Heat transfer
thermal

Ring gear rotation — Option to simulate ring gear motion
`off` (default) | `on`

Number of teeth on elliptical gear — Elliptical gear teeth
`100` (default) | positive scalar

Number of teeth on circular gear — Circular gear teeth
`102` (default) | positive scalar

Friction model — Gear friction model
`No meshing losses - Suitable for HIL simulation` (default) | `Constant efficiency` | `Load-dependent efficiency` | `Temperature-dependent efficiency` | `Temperature and load-dependent efficiency`

Efficiency — Torque transfer efficiency
`0.95` (default) | positive scalar in the range of (0, 1]

Follower power threshold — Value above which the full efficiency factor is applied
`0.001` `W` (default) | positive scalar

Input shaft torque at no load — Net torque on idle shaft
`0.1` `N*m` (default) | positive scalar

Nominal output torque — Value of torque at which efficiency is normalized
`5` `N*m` (default) | positive scalar

Efficiency at nominal output torque — Transfer efficiency
`0.95` (default) | positive scalar in the range of (0,1]

Follower angular velocity threshold — Value above which the full efficiency factor is applied
`0.01` `rad/s` (default) | positive scalar

Temperature — Array for tabular parameterization of efficiency
`[280 300 320]` `K` (default) | vector

Efficiency — Array of gear efficiencies
`[0.95 0.9 0.85]` (default) | vector

Follower power threshold — Power below which numerical smoothing is applied
`0.001` `W` (default) | positive scalar

Load at elliptical gear — Elliptical-gear loads for tabular parameterization of efficiency
`[1 5 10]` `N*m` (default) | numerical array

Efficiency matrix — Efficiency array for tabular parameterization of efficiency
`[ 0.85 0.8 0.75; 0.95 0.9 0.85; 0.85 0.8 0.7 ]` (default) | numerical array

Follower angular velocity threshold — Angular velocity below which numerical smoothing is applied
`0.01` `rad/s` (default) | positive scalar

Friction model — Friction model
`No meshing losses - Suitable for HIL simulation` (default) | `Constant efficiency` | `Temperature-dependent efficiency`

Wave generator-flexspline and flexspline-ring ordinary efficiencies — Torque transfer efficiency vector
`[.96, .98]` (default) | vector

Temperature — Temperature
`[280, 300, 320]` `K` (default) | vector

Wave generator-flexspline efficiency — Sun gear to planet gear torque transfer efficiency
`[.95, .9, .85]` (default) | vector

Ring-planet efficiency — Torque transfer efficiency from the ring gear to the planet gear
`[.95, .9, .85]` (default) | vector

Wave generator-ring and flexspline-ring power thresholds — Minimum efficiency power threshold for the sun-carrier and planet-carrier gear couplings
`[.001, .001]` `W` (default) | vector

Viscous friction coefficients at base (B) and follower (F) — Fluid dynamic friction coefficients
`[0 0]` `N*m/(rad/s)` (default) | positive two-element vector

Inertia — Option to include inertia
`off` (default) | `on`

Wave generator gear inertia — Inertia of the wave generator gear
`0.001` `kg*m^2` (default) | positive scalar

Flexspline gear inertia — Inertia of the flexspline gear
`0.0005` `kg*m^2` (default) | positive scalar

Ring gear inertia — Ring gear inertia
`0.001` `kg*m^2` (default) | positive scalar

Thermal mass — Thermal mass
`50` `J/K` (default) | positive scalar

Initial temperature — Initial temperature
`300` `K` (default) | positive scalar

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.