From the Shop

The Top 4 Factors to Consider When Manufacturing Gears

There are dozens of types of gears, and dozens of types of materials to choose from when making them; that’s why custom gear manufacturing is such a necessary, yet complex industry. For a gear manufacturer like Federal Gear, there are a few main things we need to keep in mind when designing or producing new gears:

  1. Tensile strength. The tensile strength of the gear material is what determines its resistance to static loads. For applications will small or negligible static loads, this isn’t a major concern, but as those loads increase, the tensile strength is necessary to prevent the gear from failing.
  2. Endurance. Similar to tensile strength, the endurance of a gear’s material is more important for dynamic loads, which change over time.
  3. Friction. Different applications also offer different amounts of friction, based on pressure, loads, and speed. Some types of gears offer lower friction immediately, while others need secondary variables to mitigate the effects of friction, such as lubricant.
  4. Manufacturability. Last but not least, we need to consider a gear’s manufacturability. We need to select materials that are malleable enough to work with, but that still fulfill all the above criteria. It also needs to afford us some degree of precision during the finishing process.

These qualities tell us whether a gear is going to be possible, and whether it’s the right fit for its given application. Thankfully, there are enough variables in play that we can adjust the manufacturing process to fit almost any scenario. Still, it pays to think ahead and be aware of these potential problem areas before they come up.

If you’re interested in getting a quote on a gear manufacturing job, or just want to learn more about what we can do, be sure to contact us!

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