Abstract:According to the generation mechanism of grinding residual stress of face gear and the method of Prandtl-Reuss, a constitutive relation of thermal elastic-plastic mechanics of grinding surface has been established. Based on the grinding method of face gear and GLEASON contact principle, the mathematical models of point contact ellipse equation parameters, grinding force and heat flow of disc wheel grinding were obtained. The method of small sub-step movements was adopted to simulate movements of grinding loads by means of 3D finite element model of single tooth of the face gear. Grinding temperature fields were simulated, and the highest transient temperature was located in the center of grinding contact arc. Grinding surface residual stresses were simulated and analyzed by indirect method of thermo-mechanical coupling, and many simulation conclusions were obtained. Firstly, compressive residual stresses were located on grinding tooth surface, and tensile residual stresses occurred in the tooth layer. Secondly, tooth surface residual stresses increased significantly with the increasing of grinding depth and disk wheel speed, while enhanced slightly with the increasing of generating speed. X-ray diffraction method was adopted to compare and analyze the measured values and the simulated ones of the surface residual stress, and the maximum relative error of 17.8% was within the precision control range. It showed that the finite element analysis of thermo-mechanical coupling of residual stress was effective, and it provided a basis for improving the grinding quality of face gears.