3.

4 Design of Worm and Wormgear

1. Strength of wormgear
Pitting, Scuffing and Wear first occur on the surface of wormgear.
Contact strength of tooth surface and bending strength of tooth.
(1) Contact strength of tooth surface
2

15000
m d1
For design:
KT2
HP z2
9400T2
For Checking:
H ZE
K A KV K HP
2
d1d 2
T2-- Torque acting on wormgear, N.m;
K-- Coefficient of load, commonly in range of 1.0-1.4.
If well-distributed load, v2 3m/s and higher precise than
Grade 7, a smaller value. Otherwise, a bigger value.
2

HP -- Allowable contact stress of wormgear,

decided by material of wormgear.

 For tin-free bronze, brass and cast iron, HP in Table 3-11;

For tin bronze, HP='HPZvsZN
'HP Allowable contact stress if load cycle number NL=107,
in Table 3-10.
Zvs Coefficient of sliding speed, Fig. 3-10.
ZN Coefficient of contact fatigue life, Fig. 3-11.

Zvs

Injection

Churning

Fig. 3-10 Coefficient of sliding speed

ZN or YN

For bronze and brass

For cast iron

Fig. 3-11 Coefficient of contact/bending fatigue life

Table 3-11 Allowable contact stress of tin-free bronze, HP

Material of
wormgear
Albronze

Brass

M. of worm

Sliding speed vs, m/s

0.25

0.5

ZCuAl10Fe3

Steel,
Hardening

250

230

210

180

160

120

90

ZCuAl10Fe3
Mn2

Steel,
Hardening

250

230

210

180

160

120

90

ZCuZn38Mn2
Pb2

Steel,
Hardening

--

215

200

180

150

135

95

75

HT150,
HT200

Steel,
H.T.

160

130

115

90

--

--

--

--

HT250

Steel,
H.T./Hardening

140

110

90

70

--

--

--

--

Grey
cast
iron

ZE Coefficient of Elasticity, Table 3-12.

Table 3-12 Coefficient of Elasticity
Material of
worm
Steel

Material of wormgear
Cast
tin bronze

Cast
Al bronze

Cast
Al brass

Grey cast
iron

Nodular cast
iron

155

156

157

162

182

 KA Overload coefficient, Table 3-13.

Table 3-13 Overload Coefficient
Power source

Driven machine
Uniform

Moderate shock

Heavy shock

Electrical motor,
Steam turbine

0.8-1.25

0.9-1.5

1.0-1.75

Multi cylinder
engine

0.9-1.5

1.0-1.75

1.25-2.0

Single cylinder
engine

1.0-1.75

1.25-2.0

1.5-2.25

KV Dynamic load coefficient

If v2 3m/s, KV=1.0-1.1;
If v2 >3m/s, KV=1.1-1.2.

KLoad distribution coefficient

If uniform load, K =1.0;
If variable load, K =1.1-1.3.

(2) Bending strength of wormgear tooth

For design:
For Checking:

600
m d1
KT2YFS
FP z2
2

666T2 K A K V K
d1d 2 m

YFSY FP

FP Allowable bending stress of wormgear, N/mm2, which

relates to the material of worm gear tooth, satisfying,
FP= 'FP YN
'FP Allowable bending stress if number of load cycles
NL=106, Table 3-10.
YN Coefficient of bending fatigue life, Fig. 3-11.
YFS Combined coefficient of tooth profile, YFS=YFa FSa,
in Table 2-20 and Table 2-21,
Equivalent teeth number ze2=z2/cos3 .
Y Coefficient of lead angle, Y=1- /120.

2. Stiffness of worm
Surface hardness of worm is high, but worm shaft will deform at
the engagement point under the radial force and tangential force.
A great deflection will cause unbalanced load or interference,
and damage the engagement of worm and wormgear.
For Checking:

y1

Ft12 Fr21

L3 yP

48EI
Ft1 Tangential force on worm; Fr1 Radial force on worm;
E Modulus of elasticity of worm material, if a steel worm,
E=2.07 105N/mm2;
I Moment of inertia at the critical section, mm4,
I=df14/64, where, df1 dia. of dedendum circle;
L Span between supporting points, decided by structure design,
initial value L=0.9d2, d2-dia. of pitch circle of wormgear;
yp Allowable deflection, in the range of yp=(0.001 0.0025)d1,
d1 diameter of pitch circle of worm;

3. Thermal equilibrium of worm drive

For the self-locking worm drive, the efficiency is as low as 50%.
Under closed and continuous driving conditions, there will be
overheat to deteriorate the lubrication.
Finally, it will cause failure.
In worm drive, the power of heat loss is

Ps P1 1

P1- Inputting power;

- Total efficiency.

Radiating power of in unit time is

Pc kA t1 t2

k- Thermal conductivity,
14-17.5 W/(m2.C) under good ventilation,
8.7-10.5 W/(m2.C) under poor ventilation;
A Cooling area, estimating by A=0.33(a/100)1.73, a is the
center distance between worm and worm gear, mm.
t1 Allowable temperature of lubrication, commonly 95 ;
t2 Environment temperature, commonly 20 .

Worm drive must under the allowable temperature, so

P1 1
t1
t2 95
kA
If the thermal equilibrium can not be satisfied, Some measures
need to be adopted to increase heat dissipation .

Cooler
Fan
Filter

Oil

Ventilator

Lubricating oil

Cooling water

Oil pump

Circulating lubrication

Example Problem
Try to design the worm drive for hoister.
Given:
(1) Inputting power of worm P1=7.5KW;
(2) Inputting rotational speed n1=1450r/min;
(3) Speed ratio i=20;
(4) Load on driven machine is uniform;
(5) Slight shock from power source;
(6) Life expectancy is 5 years, 300 days/year, 8 hours/ day;
(7) Worm is arranged below the wormgear;
(8) Small batch production;
Solution
(1) Worm type, precision grade and material
Considering small inputting power, and medium inputting rotational
speed, we can choose ZA worm, and precision grade Grade 8.
Material of worm: Steel 45, Case hardening, Hardness HRC=45-50.
Material of wormgear: ZCuSn10P1, sand mould casting process.

(2) Teeth of worm and wormgear

Speed ratio i=20, by Table 3-4, z1=2, z2=iz1=40.
Rotational speed of worm gear n2=n1/i=1450/20=72.5r/min.
(3) Allowable contact stress of worm gear
Material of worm gear is tin bronze, so HP='HPZvsZN
By Table 3-10, 'HP=200N/mm2.
By Fig. 3-8, the estimated sliding speed vs=7m/s, churning lubrication.
By Fig. 3-10, Coefficient of sliding speed Zvs=0.87.
Wormgear rotates in unidirectional direction, No. of load cycle on
wormgear is

NL=60n2th=60172.553008=5.22107
By Fig. 3-11, Coefficient of life ZN=0.8.

HP='HPZvsZN= 200N/mm20.870.8=139.2N/mm2

(4) Designing by contact stress

Load coefficient K=1.1, by Table 3-8, the estimated efficiency of
worm drive =0.8, then the torque on worm gear is
T2= T1 i =9550 P1/n1 i =9550 7.5/1450 20 0.8=790.3 N.m
2

By m2 d1 15000 KT2
HP z2
2

15000
2
3
m d1

1.1

790.3

6309.12mm

139.2 40

By Table 3-3, m2d1 is about 6400 mm3, then we have m=8mm,

d1=100mm, q=12.5.
(5) Calculating Geometrical parameters
Dia. of pitch circle of wormgear d2=mz2=8 40=320mm.
Lead angle of worm tan =z1/q=2/12.5=0.16, then =9.09.

Face width of wormgear

b2 2m 0.5 q 1 2 8 0.5 12.5 1 mm=66.788mm

We can set b2=68mm.
The center distance between worm and wormgear
a=0.5(d1+d2)=0.5(100+320)mm=210mm
(6) Linear speed ,and efficiency of worm gear
Linear speed of wormgear
v2=d2n2/(60 1000)= 320 725/(60 1000)=1.21m/s
Relative sliding speed
vs=v1/cos = d1n1/(60 1000) cos 9.09=7.69m/s
By Table 3-7, Equivalent angle of friction e=1 03 =1.05 , we
have
tan
tan 9.09
1

0.894
tan e tan 9.09 1.05

Efficiency of churning 2=0.96, Efficiency of rolling bearing

3=0.99, we have
= 1 2 3=0.894 0.96 0.99=0.85

Approximating to the estimated

value

(7) Checking the contact strength

Torque on the worm gear
T2= T1 i =9550 P1/n1 i=9550 7.5/1450 20 0.85=839.7N.m

By Table 3-12, coefficient of elasticity ZE=155.

By Table 3-13, overload coefficient KA=1.
As v2=1.21m/s<3m/s, so dynamic load coefficient KV=1.03, load
distribution coefficient K=1, so we have
H ZE

H HP

9400T2
9400 839.7
2
K
K
K

155

1.03

138.1N
mm
A V

d1d 22
100 3202

Contact strength is OK.

(8) Checking the bending strength

FP= 'FP YN
By Table 3-10, 'FP =51N/mm2(one sided load)
By Fig. 3-11, life coefficient of bending strength YN=0.66, so
FP= 'FP YN=51 0.66=33.66N/mm2

Combined coefficient of tooth profile, YFS=YFa YSa,

Equivalent number of wormgear teeth.
ze2=z2/cos3 =40/cos9.09 =41.55
By Table2-20 and Table 2-21, we have YFa =2.42, YSa =1.67 , so
YFS=2.42 1.67=4.04
Coefficient of leading angle Y=1- /120=1-9.09/120 =0.92.

666T2 K A K V K
d1d 2 m

YFSY

666 790.3 1.05 1

4.04 0.92 8.03 FP

100 320 8

Bending strength is OK.

(9) Checking stiffness of worm
Tangential force Ft1

2T1

d1

2 9.55 106
100

7.5
1450 987.93N

2T2
2 839.7 103
tan a
tan 20 1910.2N
Radial force Fr1
d2
320
Span between supporting points L 0.9d2 0.9 320 288
Moment of inertia at the critical section

df14
64

100 2.5 8
64

Allowable deflexion yP 0.001d1 0.001100 0.1mm

2.01106 mm4

We have the deflection of worm

y1

Ft12 Fr21 3
L
48EI

987.932 1910.22

2883
5
6
48 2.110 2.01 10
0.0025mm yP

Stiffness of worm is OK.

(10) Calculating the thermal equilibrium

Efficiency of worm drive =0.85, thermal conductivity
k=15W/(m2 ), temperature of environment t2=20 ,
Cooling area, estimated by
A=0.33(a/100)1.73=0.33 (210/100) 1.73=1.191m2
P1 1
7500 1 0.85
t1
t2
20 82.97 95
kA
15 1.191
Thermal equilibrium is OK.
(11) Calculating other geometrical parameters (Omitted)

(12) Designing structure (Omitted)

3.5 Structure of Worm Gear drive

Worm structure:
Commonly Worm in a form of shaft worm shaft

df1

1) Non-tool withdrawal groove, by milling the worm teeth

df1

2) Tool withdrawal groove, by turning the worm teeth

T. W. G.

T. W. G.

Set screw 4~8, =2~3mm

de2

de2

B
Unit wormgear

de2

Combined
by interference fit

No. of thread z1
Dia. of wormgear addendum de2
Width of flange B

Wormgear tooth width angle

Thickness of wormgear c

de2

Wormgear structure

Combined
by bolt connection

Combined
by casting

da2 +2m

da2 +1.5m

0.75da

90~130
1.6m+1.5 mm

da2 +2m
0.67 da

Homework-11
1. Given a worm drive, the transmission power P1=8.8KW,
n1=960r/min, i=18, z1=2, m=10, q=8, efficiency =0.88.
Try to find the three components Ft, Fr, Fa, on worm and wormgear.

2. Try to design a single reducer with cylindered worm gear drive.

Given the rated power of electrical motor P=7.5KW, rotational speed
n=1440r/min, speed ratio i=24(for reducing applications), uniform
driven load, life expectancy 10 years, 16 hours per day, under
unidirectional working condition.