Discover the world of gears: From basics to customized solutions for the highest demands.
How do I choose the right gear type for my specific industrial application?
The selection of the right gear type depends on factors such as axis arrangement, required transmission ratio, torque, speed, and environmental conditions. ATEK Drive Solutions offers comprehensive technical consulting, to assist you in the design and selection of the optimal gear solution, from bevel gear boxes to planetary gear boxes, to support your application.
What advantages does ATEK’s modular system offer for gear solutions?
Das The modular system from ATEK enables millions of configurations, ensuring a high variety of options und and short delivery times. This way, we can quickly respond to your specific requirements and also efficiently realize sicherstellt. So können wir schnell auf Ihre spezifischen Anforderungen reagieren und auch special solutions, supported by a effizient realisieren, unterstützt durch einen large inventory of nearly 500,000 individual parts.
How does ATEK ensure the precision and quality of its gears, especially for custom solutions?
ATEK ensures the highest precision through modern CNC manufacturing processes such as profile grinding, which enables tolerances in the micrometer range. Each custom gear undergoes strict quality checks, including a minimum 2-hour test run and double flank rolling tests according to DIN ISO 1328, to ensure optimal performance and durability. What role does material selection play in the lifespan and performance of industrial gear boxes?
Welche Rolle spielt die Materialauswahl für die Lebensdauer und Leistungsfähigkeit von Industriegetrieben?
Material selection is crucial for the performance of gears. ATEK uses high-strength steels for high torques, brass for good sliding properties, or specialized plastics depending on the requirements. ATEK employs surface hardening processes such as nitriding, which can enhance wear resistance by a factor of 3 and thus significantly increase the lifespan..
What are common causes of gear damage and how can ATEK help prevent this?
Common damages are pitting, tooth breakage, and micro-pitting, often caused by overload, material fatigue, or improper lubrication. ATEK prevents this through careful design, high-quality materials, precise manufacturing und informed consulting for lubricant selection. A correct lubricant choice can extend the lifespan by up to 50%. Does ATEK also provide gears for applications with very high precision requirements, such as in robotics?.
Bietet ATEK auch Zahnräder für Anwendungen mit sehr hohen Präzisionsanforderungen, z.B. in der Robotik?
Yes, ATEK specializes in high-precision drive solutions.. Our servo bevel gear boxes und and servo planetary gear boxes use crowned bevel gears or precision-ground gears, for example, to ensure the highest precision and minimal backlash for demanding applications in robotics and automation.
Die The correct selection of the gear type and a precise design are critical for the efficiency and longevity of industrial drives. ATEK supports you with comprehensive expertise from conception to the finished solution.
Modern manufacturing techniques and high-quality materials are key to powerful gears. Through profile grinding, the lifespan can be increased by up to 30% and through surface hardening, wear resistance can be enhanced by a factor of 3 .
ATEK’s modular system and the ability to develop customized special solutions enable short delivery times and high variety, to quickly and efficiently meet complex drive requirements.Dive into the fascinating world of gears! Learn everything about types, materials, applications, and how ATEK Drive Solutions meets your individual requirements with innovative solutions.
Gears are the heart of countless machines and systems. Their precise function determines efficiency and reliability. Are you looking for the optimal gearing solution for your application? Contact us – we are happy to advise you!Do you need a customized gear solution for your application?
Request a custom solution now!
Understand gear fundamentals and recognize potential for your drives.
What are gears and why are they important?
gears They are fundamental machine elements for transmitting rotary movements and torques. For example, in the packaging industry, precise gear pairs allow cycle times of less than one second. Without such gear components, a large part of modern industry would come to a halt. Their correct design is crucial for efficiency and durability of machines.
gears: More than just round discs with teeth,
Ein a gear is a precisely constructed component.The geometry of each tooth, from the tooth tip to the root, follows mathematical principles. For example, ATEK engineers consider over 20 parameters when designing a single special gear.. The exact shaping determines smooth operation, load capacity, and wear behavior. Cylindrical gears are also called spur gears.
The difference between a gear and pinion
The term pinion often has functional significance. Usually, the pinion is the smaller of the two gears in a gear pair and often the driving element. For example, in a bevel gear box from ATEK, a smaller pinion drives a larger Rad to increase the torque. The size ratio of the pinion to the wheel defines the transmission ratio and performance characteristics of the gear box.Select appropriate gear types specifically for each industrial application.
Spur gears: The all-rounders
Spur gears are widely used for applications with parallel axes due to their versatility. They are mainly distinguished between spur and helical gears. For example, spur gears are found in simple hoisting devices, while helical gears Spur gears are used in industrial gear boxes with speeds up to 10,000 RPM. The choice of tooth design affects noise development and load capacity.
Bevel gears: When axes meet
Bevel gears transmit power between intersecting shafts, usually at a 90-degree angle. For example, servo bevel gear boxes from ATEK use crowned gears Bevel gears for precision in robotics applications that require positional accuracy of ±0.01 mm. Crowned bevel gears offer higher load capacity and better running characteristics than straight bevel gears.
Worm gearboxes: Quiet power transmission
Worm gearboxes are suitable for quiet solutions with high transmission ratios. Their sliding power transmission minimizes vibrations. For example, ATEK worm gearboxes are used in medical technology, achieving noise levels below 45 dB(A). Many worm gearboxes offer self-locking, which can eliminate the need for additional brakes. The globoid worm optimizes line contact and increases efficiency.
Rack and pinion: Generating linear motion
Rack and pinion drives convert rotation into linear motion. A rotating a gear engages with a toothed bar. For example, CNC portal systems use rack and pinion drives for travel distances over 10 meters with speeds of up to 2 m/s. The stroke length is limited by the rack length, but modular systems allow for extensions.Ensure optimal gear performance through the right materials and precision manufacturing.
From wood to steel: The evolution of gear materials
Originally made of wood, today metals and plastics dominate as gear materials, depending on the requirements. Steel offers high strength, brass good sliding properties, plastics lightweight construction and corrosion resistance. For example, for hypoid gear boxes in the automotive industry, ATEK uses high-strength case hardening steels for torques up to 500 Nm. Material selection is a compromise of strength, wear resistance, weight, and cost.
- Material selection is crucial, from steel (strength) to brass (sliding properties) to plastics (lightweight construction, corrosion resistance) for each drive element..
- Modern manufacturing utilizes CNC-controlled precision processes such as milling, grinding, and gear hobbing for optimal results in the production of toothings..
- High manufacturing precision, for example through profile grinding, improves surface quality and can increase lifespan by up to 30%.
- Additive manufacturing (3D printing) allows for flexibility in prototypes, small series, and complex gear geometries..
- Material selection is always a compromise of strength, wear resistance, weight, and cost.
- ATEK ensures the highest precision with tolerances in the micrometer range through a modern machine park for the manufacturing of these machine elements.
- For custom gears and spare parts, additive manufacturing offers a flexible and fast solution.
Manufacturing techniques: Precision is key
Modern gear manufacturing utilizes CNC-controlled processes such as milling, broaching, grinding, or gear hobbing, each with specific advantages. For example, profile grinding enables surface qualities of Ra 0.2 μm, which increases the lifespan of high-performancegears can increase by up to 30%. Manufacturing accuracy determines quality and performance. ATEK ensures tolerances in the micrometer range through its machinery.
Additive manufacturing: gears from the 3D printer
Additive manufacturing is suitable for prototypes and small series of gears, as it allows for complex geometries and rapid iterations. For example, online configurators like the one from Protiq enable the virtual creation and printing of customized drive elements. For custom gear and spare parts, additive manufacturing offers flexibility. Surface roughness is an important aspect.Maximize gear box efficiency through intelligent design and precise sizing
Gear design rules: The basis for smooth rotation
Compliance with gear design rules is fundamental for the smooth operation of gears. They ensure continuous tooth engagement and transmission of rotary motion without speed fluctuations. For example, the involute gear profile, which ATEK employs in over 90% of its planetary gear boxes meets these rules and is insensitive to changes in shaft distances. The correct design of the tooth flank shape is crucial for an efficient, quiet gear.
Power transmission: Form-fit connection for efficiency
Power transmission in the gear box occurs in a form-fit manner through directly interlocking teeth. This minimizes slip and enables high efficiency. For example, gear motors from ATEK achieve system efficiencies over 95% through optimized tooth profiles. Differences in gear radii allow for torque and speed adjustment.
Sizing: Module, pitch diameter, and more
Key figures of the gear design are the module (defines the gear size) as well as pitch, root, and outside diameters. For example, DIN 780-1 standardizes module series, ensuring interchangeability and compatibility of gear components , as used in the modular construction system of ATEK. Careful sizing prevents overload and premature wear.The highest gear quality is ensured through strict testing procedures and damage prevention.
Testing procedures: Running tests and two-flank rolling tests
Comprehensive testing procedures ensure the quality of gears. During the running test, noise development and load-bearing contact patterns are monitored. For example, each custom gear from ATEK undergoes a minimum 2-hour test run before delivery. The two-flank rolling test according to DIN ISO 1328 detects the smallest deviations in tooth geometry.
- Comprehensive testing procedures like running tests and two-flank rolling tests ensure the gear quality.
- Running tests monitor noise development and the contact pattern of the teeth under realistic load conditions.
- The two-flank rolling test according to standards like DIN ISO 1328 detects even the smallest deviations in the tooth geometry of these machine elements.
- Common damage patterns include pitting, tooth breakage due to overload, and micro-pitting due to insufficient lubrication on gear components.
- A correct design, high-quality materials, and precise manufacturing are fundamental for damage prevention.
- Adequate lubrication and the right lubricant selection are essential to minimize wear and maximize lifespan.
- Surface hardening processes, such as nitriding, can significantly increase the wear resistance of gears .
- Predictive maintenance and condition monitoring help avoid unexpected failures and increase operational reliability.
Types of damage: Pitting, tooth breakage, and micro-pitting
Typical damage patterns on gears include pitting due to material fatigue, tooth breakage due to overload, and micro-pitting due to insufficient lubrication. For example, incorrect lubricant selection can reduce the lifespan of highly stressed drive elements by up to 50%. Regular inspection, correct material and lubricant selection are essential for a long lifespan.
Preventive measures for longer lifespan
The lifespan of gears is maximized through correct design, high-quality materials, precise manufacturing, and adequate lubrication. For example, surface hardening processes like nitriding can increase wear resistance by a factor of 3 at ATEK without significantly increasing the overall weight.gears Predictive maintenance and condition monitoring help avoid unexpected failures. Vorausschauende Wartung und Zustandsüberwachung helfen, unerwartete Ausfälle zu vermeiden.Discover fascinating facts and knowledge about gears
a gear in slang: More than just technology
The term “a gear” or “Gear” (in English) is also colloquially used for equipment or in other contexts. Technically, it still refers to the machine element. For example, in the Transformers series there is a character named “Gears”. The versatility of the term indicates its embedding in various areas of life.
Das a gear as a symbol of the working class
Historically, the a gear was used as a symbol of the working class and industry, for example during the time of National Socialism. For example, the German Labor Front used a a gear in its emblem. It often represents collaboration and industrial strength. This symbolism can still be found in logos today.
a gear-Table and crossword puzzle: Use knowledge playfully
A a gear-table summarizes key figures such as modules, number of teeth, and diameters. For example, engineering handbooks often include such tables as a reference. A “gear crossword puzzle” can playfully quiz knowledge about gearing technology.
gears therefore are central components in many industrial applications. Their correct selection, design, and manufacturing are crucial for the performance and reliability of drive systems.
