Gearboxes and Their Common Types
If you have worked with and around various forms of industrial machinery and vehicles, you may be familiar with gearboxes and their uses. For those that are not, gearboxes are often an essential element of countless mechanical operations, allowing for mechanical energy to be transmitted with controlled speed and torque for the benefit of properly driving something. Whether found in a paper manufacturing plant, steel production machine, or an aircraft, gearboxes often share many similarities which can make it beneficial to have a basic understanding of their general design and use.
While the exact makeup of a gearbox will vary based on the manufacturer and type, a majority are made from materials like iron, aluminum, or brass for their balance of beneficial properties. That being said, certain plastics like nylons and polycarbonates may be used, though to a lesser degree. As gearboxes rely on a number of gear teeth to carry out their standard operations, such elements will be oriented based on desired performance, torque, and speed qualities.
For heavy-duty applications where a large amount of torque is needed, the worm gearbox is a common choice. These assemblies feature a more broad worm diameter or screw, and this element meshes with teeth situated within the gear’s periphery. For their applications, worm gearbox assemblies support the operations of elevators, conveyor belts, and other apparatuses that require 90 degrees of transmission.
Helical gearboxes are another common choice, and they are typically large in design while using low amounts of power during operation. Helical gearboxes feature two sets of teeth that are designed to mesh, and their angling and positioning allow for higher load angles to be achieved while ensuring smooth operations. Helical gearboxes are also able to express movements across parallel and right shafts, opening up their use to various applications.
With the bevel gear option, curved teeth are placed near the bottom of the unit on a cone-shaped surface. Oftentimes, these gearbox assemblies are relied on to rotate non-parallel shafts, finding implementation within rolling stock and mining operations. The final common option is the planetary gearbox, and these assemblies feature three or four planet gears that are situated around a central sun gear. While having a limited area, the design of planetary gearboxes ensures that a high amount of torque is generated while also providing ample endurance and precision.
To ensure that you choose the right type of gearbox for your individual needs, it is important to consider performance characteristics that need to be upheld for your application. For example, factors like noise, vibration, heat generation, weight, rigidity, and operational life are all essential aspects of a gearbox that must be balanced to guarantee proper operation, safety, and efficiency. Once you have determined your requirements and are ready to begin procurement, look no further than Internet for Aviation and our unrivaled inventory of top-quality parts that are ready for purchase today.
On our website, we offer customers access to countless new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find items that trace back to leading manufacturers that we trust, and everything we list may be purchased at any time. Dedicated to quality, we subject countless items to varying levels of inspection and testing, and everything ships out with any applicable qualifying certifications or manufacturing trace documentation. Coupled with our other practices, we proudly operate with AS9120B, ISO 9001:2015, and FAA AC 00-56B accreditation. If you happen to be facing a time constraint, we also encourage you to discuss our expedited shipping options with us so that we may formulate the best solution for your needs. See how Internet for Aviation can serve you today when you get in touch with one of our industry experts through phone or email!
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