Our Family Of Brands: IBT Logo Magnum Logo Vaughn Belting Logo Lawler Gear Logo Logo
Accurate & Precise
Gear Manufacturing
High-Caliber
Team & Equipment
Exceptional
Customer Service
Request A Quote

9 Types of Industrial Gears and Their Uses

In the world of machinery and mechanical systems, gears play a crucial role in transmitting power and motion. 

Industrial gears are specifically designed to withstand heavy loads and provide efficient operation in various industries. Lawler Gear, a leading industrial gear-making company, is well-versed in the importance of different gear types and their applications. 

1. Spur Gear: The Fundamental Workhorse

Spur gears, the bedrock of gear systems, feature straight teeth aligned parallel to the gear’s axis. This simple yet effective design ensures straightforward and efficient power transmission. Spur gears transmit power through parallel shafts and are one of the most common types of gears found in industrial applications.

Spur gears are noisier than helical gears because they operate with a single line of contact between teeth. When the teeth are rolling and meshed, they roll off contact with one tooth and then accelerate to contact with the next tooth.

Precision-engineered spur gears find their homes in applications where simplicity and cost-effectiveness are paramount. Small conveyor systems, planetary gear sets, automotive machinery, and other applications benefit from the reliable efficiency of spur gears.

2. Helical Gear: Precision Operators

Helical gears, characterized by angled teeth arranged in a helix pattern, provide a more refined engagement. As they mesh, more than one tooth is in contact at a time, which lets them carry more load than spur gears. Because multiple teeth share a load, helical gears operate with reduced noise compared to their spur counterparts.

Helical gears produce a thrust load while operating, which needs to be taken into account. These gears are typically used in enclosed gear drives.

A variation on helical gears is double helical gears, which are two helical gears placed next to each other with a gap between them. Double helical gears have identically opposite gears facing different directions.

In applications where precision and reduced noise are imperative, helical gears shine. Automotive transmissions and industrial robotics are among the many sectors benefiting from the smooth and efficient power transmission achieved by these precision-crafted gears. 

3. Worm Gear: Turning the Wheel of Efficiency

A worm gear has a screw shape cut into the shaft. The shaft is the worm, the mating gear is the worm wheel, and working together on non-intersecting shafts, both components together are called a worm gear. 

Worm wheels are typically cylindrical but are not limited to that shape. There is an hourglass type that can increase the contact ratio, but production is more difficult and it requires a lot of precision to produce. 

The nature of contact in the worm gear results in a lot of friction. To reduce friction, a hard material is used to make the worm, and a softer material is used for the worm wheel. Worm gears have relatively low power transmitting efficiency due to the sliding contact, but they do operate smoothly and quietly. 

Worm gears offer a compact design with a high gear ratio, making them ideal for applications demanding high torque and low speed. Worm gears can transmit power through right angles on non-intersecting shafts.

These gears are integral to applications such as conveyor systems, elevators, and steering mechanisms. Their efficient design contributes to reliable and powerful performance in scenarios where high torque is essential.

4. Bevel Gear: The Angular Solution

Bevel gears, with their cone-shaped teeth intersecting at the gear’s axis, provide a solution for angular power transmission, enabling changes in direction within a system. Bevel gears are more expensive than other gears and cannot transmit as much torque per size as a parallel shaft arrangement. 

Precision-crafted bevel gears find applications in machinery requiring changes in direction, such as angle drives for heavy equipment, printing presses, and marine propulsion systems. Their reliability ensures seamless operation in demanding environments.

5. Rack & Pinion Gears: Moving to Linear Precision

A linear gear with straight teeth, the rack and pinion gear—or gear rack—complements a cylindrical spur gear for linear motion applications, ensuring precision in linear movements. The gear rack converts rotational motion into linear motion or vice versa. The gear rack can also be complemented with a helical gear, but this forces the gear rack to be angled rather than straight.

Gear racks play crucial roles in CNC machines, industrial automation, and various linear actuators. Rack and pinion gears provide linear motion, which is instrumental in achieving accuracy in complex manufacturing processes.

6. Internal Gear: The Inside Track to Compact Solutions

Featuring teeth on the inner surface, internal gears mesh with external gears to transmit motion, offering a compact solution for applications with space constraints. The increased contact area allows internal gears to provide a stronger drive with less sliding. 

Internal gears find their niche in applications such as planetary gear systems, planetary gearheads, and various reduction drives where space efficiency is crucial. Their design ensures efficient power transmission in confined spaces.

7. Spline: Precision Torque Transmitters

Splines, characterized by a series of ridges or teeth on a shaft, provide an even distribution of power along the shaft, ensuring precise torque transmission. 

Splines are similar to gears in that they have teeth. Unlike gears, more than a few teeth are meshed together at the same time. The spline shaft is mated with an internal gear with all the teeth meshed at the same time, which allows them to transfer significantly more torque. 

Splines play a crucial role in applications demanding precise torque transmission, including automotive transmissions, heavy machinery, and various industrial equipment. Their contribution to reliability and precision is paramount in critical applications.

8. Timing Pulley: Syncing the Dance of Precision

Timing pulleys, with teeth meshing with a timing belt, ensure synchronous movement, offering precise timing in various mechanical systems. Timing belt pulleys are to connect and synchronize the rotation between two shaft systems.

Timing pulleys play a critical role in applications requiring precise timing, such as automobiles, engines, conveyors, and printing machinery. Their contribution ensures coordinated and efficient operations in applications where timing is of the essence. For example, a timing belt pulley component in an automobile links the cam and the crankshaft.

9. Sprocket: Driving Chains and Efficiency

Sprockets are gears designed to engage and drive a chain or other perforated materials. They have teeth or notches around their circumference to engage chains or belts with the same thickness and pitch. They look like gears but cannot interact directly with other gears. 

Sprockets find applications in a myriad of systems, including bicycles, motorcycles, conveyor belts, and various industrial machinery. Their contribution to driving efficiency through precision ensures smooth and reliable performance in diverse applications.

Lawler Gear’s gears are not just components; they are precision solutions tailored to turn the wheels of progress in diverse industrial landscapes. We are committed to excellence in delivering tailor-made gear and gearbox solutions. Do you need a particular gear or gearbox? Request a quote with us today!