KM40103

Machine Maintenance and Condition Monitoring

CHAPTER 6 : MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE

6.2 GEARS
Gears are mechanical devices that transmit power and motion between axes in a
wide variety of commercial and industrial applications.
Gears are a means of changing the rate of rotation of a machinery shaft.
They can also change the direction of the axis of rotation and can change rotary
motion to linear motion.
Unfortunately, mechanical engineers sometimes shy away from the use of gears
and rely on the advent of electronic controls and the availability of toothed belts,
since robust gears for high-speed and/or high-power machinery are often very
complex to design.
However, for dedicated, high-speed machinery such as an automobile
transmission, gears are the optimal medium for low energy loss, high accuracy and
low play.
Gears are of several categories, and can be combined in a multitude of ways,
some of which are illustrated in the following figures.
6.2.1

Gear Geometry

Terminology
Spur Gears

Bevel Gears

Differential Gears 1

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Machine Maintenance and Condition Monitoring

The essential features of a gear mesh are:

Center distance: The distance between the centers of two pitch circles.
Pitch diameters: The tangent to two basic circles is the line of contact in gear
vernacular. Where this line crosses the line of center establishes the pitch. The ratio of
pitch diameters gives the velocity ratio.
Pitch: It is a measure of tooth spacing along the pitch circle. There are two basic forms.
Circular pitch is the direct measurement of distance of one tooth center to the adjacent
tooth center. It is equal to the pitch circle circumference divided by the teeth. Diameter
pitch is the measure of the number of teeth per inch of the pitch diameter. Both the
pitches are inversely related to each other and permit an easy transformation from one
to the other.
Pressure angle of the contacting involutes: The angel between the line of force
between meshing teeth and the tangent to the pitch circle at the point of mesh. Gears
must have the same pitch and the pressure angel to mesh.
Module: It is the ratio of pitch diameter to the number of teeth. It is mainly used for metal
gears. A higher module indicates coarser tooth spacing.
Gear train: When two or more gears are meshing, it is called a gear train.
Gear box: It is an automotive assembly of gears and associated parts by which power is
transmitted from the engine to the driving axle.
Shafts: Cylindrical rods made of metal used for power transmission, linear motion and
various other purposes in industries.
Sprockets: Teeth like projection arranged on a wheel rim to engage the links of a chain.
Pinions: Small tapered gear that meshes with a larger gear or rack.

6.2.2

Type of Gears

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TYPE

SPUR

Machine Maintenance and Condition Monitoring

NOTES
Majority of gears are spur. Relatively easy to design and make.
Parallel shafts. High efficiency (99% per train). No side thrust. Can
back drive. Single Ratio up to 1:10. Can be made very accurate with
low vibration /noise. Normally steel pinions require lubrication. Plastic
gears can be used requiring no lubrication.

INTERNAL
SPUR

Similar performance to normal spur. Results in compact drive

geometry. Used in manufacture of epicyclic / planetary gears.

HELICAL

Single Helical have similar properties to spur. However drive results in

axial thrust. Gears are smoother/quieter for the same size/spec. The
gears can run at high speeds up to large diameters. Higher torque/life
capabilities for same size as spur.

DOUBLEHELICAL

Similar benefits to single helical but with no generated side thrust.

Higher performance compared to single helical.

CROSSEDHELICAL

Shaft at 90o. Difficult to make accurately. Smooth drive.

WORM

Offset shafts at 90o. Very high ratios possible in single stage. Sliding
action. One gear is normally copper allow (bronze). Low efficiency at
higher ratios and low speeds. Lubrication essential for mechanical and
thermal reasons. Cannot backdrive at high ratios.

BEVEL
GEAR

Mainly used for drive transmission through 90o. Only low ratios used
(4:1 and less). Lubrication required. Some vibration on spur type:
Helical type smoother.

SPIROID

Perform a similar function to worm boxes but the gears have

characteristics which combine those of the bevel and worm gears.
High powers and speed ratios are possible and mechanical
efficiencies higher than worm boxes for equivalent ratios.

HARMONIC
DRIVE

Performance advantages include high-torque capacity, concentric

geometry, lightweight and compact design, zero backlash, high
efficiency, high ratios (up to 320:1), and back drivability. Harmonic
drive systems suffer however, from high flexibility, resonance
vibration. Used in robotics

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6.2.3

Machine Maintenance and Condition Monitoring

Why Gear Fails?

Wrong lubricant
Oil temperature too high or too low
Lubricant contamination
Water from coolant leaks or excessive condensation in reservoirs and bearing
cavities.
Overloading of gear units
Misalignment of gears
Coupling malfunctions
Inadequate oil drain period and filtration practices
6.2.4

Gear Maintenance
For proper working of all machines, they should be inspected regularly for wear
and tear of the parts and other errors in the machine.
It is important to maintain the machine parts carefully to avoid accidents or damage
to machine parts.
Proactive maintenance of mechanical drives and gears improves process
efficiency and productivity. It is possible to prevent deficiencies in power
transmission with proactive maintenance solutions before the damage occurs.
This improves process reliability and reduces the amount of costly downtime. This
will minimize the replacement cost.

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6.2.5

Machine Maintenance and Condition Monitoring

Lubrication
Gears should be regularly monitored and analyzed. They should be lubricated well
with the gear oil.
Applying grease to it can also protect them. Oils and grease protects them from
rust and corrosion.
They also give them chemical and thermal stability, thus enhancing the life of a
gear.
There should be a visual check of all the internal parts of the gearbox.
This gives a versatile report on the condition of the internal parts and on the need
for repairs or spare parts. Accordingly, the parts should be replaced if damaged.

6.2.6

Cleaning
For more efficient working of gears they should be regularly cleaned.
They can be cleaned by various washing liquids like atsko sport wash, camsuds
downe suds, mc nett thunder down, etc. depending on the need of the gearbox.
Regular cleaning of the gear removes contaminants and maintains gear
performance integrity. This also extends the useful life of the gear and delay
scheduled purchases.

6.2.7

Chain and Sprocket

The chain of the machine should be checked and if the elongation of chain is in
excess, it should be replaced.
Sprockets should be realigned if there is misalignment due to wear on inner
surface on the roller link sidebars and on sides of sprocket teeth.
If the machine is making excess of noise, then the chain and sprocket should be
lubricated well and the alignment should be checked.
Adequate cover should be provided around the drive for environmental material.

6.2.8

Safety
Safety must be considered a basic factor in machinery operation at all times.
Most accidents are the results of carelessness or negligence.
All rotating power transmission products are potentially dangerous and must be
guarded by good safety practice.
When not in used, the motor driving the part or components should be electrically
locked out.
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