Higher energy efficiency demand is satisfied with worm gear reducers

Higher energy efficiency demand is satisfied with worm gear reducers

The worm gear reducer has many characteristics ideal for power transmission applications. Efficiency improvements coupled with realistic evaluations combined with other advantages continue to make the worm gear reducer a suitable solution to a variety of equipment drive problems.

Escalating energy costs have increased engineer’s emphasis on the efficiency of drives and drive systems. Luckily, worm-gearing efficiency has increased through a variety of technical improvements. Gearing involves sliding and rolling friction and requires rotation of a mass in an oil bath. Both characteristics generate some losses, which can be minimized. These gains combined with the advantages of lower initial cost and higher overload capacity are powerful arguments for continued widespread use of worm gear reducers. What’s more, are the comparative evaluation of realistic efficiencies and other characteristics of competitive gear-reducer systems. Such comparisons often show that the advantages of using a worm gear reducer far outweigh any slight loss of efficiency. Even if small efficiency losses are important, there is the possibility of using a reducer with a helical, spur or planetary worm-gearing set to provide higher efficiencies while retaining worm gear drive advantages. Of course, accurate comparisons are dependent on the use of realistic efficiencies (for all reducers considered) and proper size selection. Using rough approximations of efficiencies can totally distort the comparison.

Advantages of worm gearing

The worm gear reducer has many characteristics ideal for power transmission applications. The advantages can include:

• Self locking (ability to stop and hold load) and overhauling (ability to operate in reverse).

• Supports very high overhung and thrust loads.

• Quiet (Cone worm gear noise level of 65 dB compared to 85 db for helical bevel).

• Support shock loads (300% for Cone Drive versus 100% for helical bevel).

• Consistent size with increase in ratio.

• Higher torque at low speeds.

• Capable of zero backlash.

• Cone Drive ratios are exact.

• High level of repeatability.