Custom made gears come in a variety of forms, shapes, and applications that extend far beyond the conventional spur gear that most people are familiar with. Helical gears, for example, are cylindrical shaped gears with slanted teeth that give them a curved appearance.
Advantages of Helical Gears
Helical gears’ teeth have a larger contact ratio because their angled teeth result in more gradual contact with less friction. These gears are perfect for applications that require quietness, or those that are sensitive to vibration. At the same time, helical gears can still transmit a large amount of force. Of course, the flip side is that gear cutting is more difficult due to the complex design.
Double helical gears also exist; these are much like helical gears, but with two side-to-side rows of teeth with opposite hands. These gears offer increased advantages that standard helical gears offer, but are even more difficult to manufacture. These types of gears are also known as herringbone gears, due to the resemblance of the “V” shaped teeth to the bones of herrings.
Potential Applications
The most common use for helical gears is in automotive transmissions. Helical gears are ideal for high-speed applications because they suffer from less friction and wear than other gears, but they’re still capable of transferring significant amounts of force. As an added bonus, they’re relatively quiet and reduce vibrations, helping to control the amount of noise and shaking produced by a vehicle.
Helical gears are good solutions if you’re concerned about the speed of your machine, the noise it emits, or the amount of vibration produced by its function. If you’re interested in cutting new helical gears for your next project, contact us!