Understanding gears is the starting point in gearbox selection. There are several factors to consider when selecting the type of gears for an application.
Four Styles
- Spur: The spur gear has a helix angle of 0° or rather, the teeth are straight.
- Helical: This is an angle toothed gear. The angle can vary from application to application usually between 1°-45°.
- Worm: The Worm gear is found in right angle gearboxes. These gears “turn a corner”
- Bevel: This gear tends to have a lower ratio and run at a higher efficiency than the worm gear.
Additional Considerations
Knowing various characteristics of each gear type isn’t the only thing to consider, here are a few other factors:
Axial Load: The axial load is the amount of weight or pressure along the drive shaft. It is important to use bearings that can withstand the pressure from the weighted shaft. Otherwise, unexpected breakage could occur.
Heat Treatment: Pay attention to whether your gears have been heat treated or not. If gears are heat treated after they are hobbed, it will improve the strength of the gear.
Hobbing: Hobbing is the process cutting the gears found within each gearbox. Not only can you hob gears, you can also have a hobbed shaft. This special hobbed shaft is seen in parallel shaft gearboxes.
Cut vs. Powdered Metal: There are a couple notable differences between powdered metal and cut gears. Cut gears tend to be stronger than powdered metal gears. In addition, cut gears also tend to have a higher tooth accuracy. These gears are typically best for a lower volume build, since they tend to have a higher price per gear.
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