With custom made gears, there’s nearly unlimited potential for engineering applications. Traditional “spur” gears are some of the most common gears we produce, but they represent only a fraction of gears in the market. Worm gears, sometimes called a worm drive, is a special kind of gear that utilizes the movement of two very different shapes to produce unique movement.
The Basic Mechanism
A worm gear uses two elements— a worm (also called a “worm screw”) and a worm wheel. The worm screw looks like a typical screw, and rotates according to its input. The worm wheel is typically made of bronze and is rotated according to the movement of the screw. The idea is to reduce the rotational speed of a system, or transmit a higher torque, depending on the needs of the application.
There are three main types of worm gears as well:
- Non-throated.Non-throated worm gears use a straight worm and a worm gear without any groove around the outside of it. Since tooth contact relies on a single moving point, this makes it susceptible to wear and tear.
- Single-throated.Single-throated worm gears use concave helical teeth to offer a higher load capacity and wear tolerance.
- Double-throated. Both the worm and worm gearhave concave teeth, making the set capable of withstanding even greater loads and wear.
Why Use Worm Gears?
Worm gears are useful in a number of different systems. They’re frequently used in presses, rudders, and conveyer belts because they’re capable of braking quickly and withstanding lots of shock. This also makes them ideal for use in elevators/lifts, because they can withstand lots of weight and stop fairly easily. Worm gears are also ideal for reducing the noise emitted by a system, or where there’s a limited amount of space—this makes them common in some small motors of electronics, as well as musical instruments like guitars and banjos.
If you need worm gears for your application, contact us for a custom quote today!