GEARS

Reference:

Mott, R. 2004 (4th Edition)

Machine Elements in Mechanical Design
ME 54_ SY 2018-2019 _CMU 1
Gears are toothed, cylindrical wheels
used for transmitting motion and
power from one rotating shaft to
another.

The teeth of a driving gear mesh

accurately in the spaces between
teeth on the driven gear.
The driving teeth push on the driven teeth,
exerting a force perpendicular to the
radius of the gear.

Thus, a torque is transmitted, and because

the gear is rotating, power is also
transmitted.
Advantages and Disadvantages of
Gear Drives
Advantages

• It transmits exact velocity ratio.

• It may be used to transmit large power.
• It may be used for small centre distances of shafts.
• It has high efficiency.
• It has reliable service.
• It has compact layout.
Disadvantages

• Since the manufacture of gears require special tools and

equipment, therefore it is costlier than other drives.
• The error in cutting teeth may cause vibrations and noise
during operation.
• It requires suitable lubricant and reliable method of
applying it, for the proper operation of gear drives.
 Power Transmission Capacity

Their resistance to two forms of failure limits the power capacity of gears:
• tooth’s surface fatigue (pitting) which sometimes referred as wear rating
• tooth’s bending fatigue, which referred to as strength rating.

Current manufacturing capacity, known materials, and method of

lubrication limit the maximum power that can be transmitted through
gears of different types.
Causes of Gear Tooth Failure
Bending failure
• Every gear tooth acts as a cantilever. If the
total repetitive dynamic load acting on the
gear tooth is greater than the beam
strength of the gear tooth, then the gear
tooth will fail in bending, i.e. the gear tooth
will break.
• In order to avoid such failure, the module
and face width of the gear is adjusted so
that the beam strength is greater than the
dynamic load.
Pitting
• It is the surface fatigue failure which occurs
due to many repetition of contact stresses.
The failure occurs when the surface contact
stresses are higher than the endurance limit
of the material.
• The failure starts with the formation of pits
which continue to grow resulting in the
rupture of the tooth surface.
• In order to avoid the pitting, the dynamic load
between the gear tooth should be less than
the wear strength of the gear tooth.
Scoring
The excessive heat is generated when
there is an excessive surface pressure, high
speed or supply of lubricant fails.

It is a stick-slip phenomenon in which

alternate shearing and welding takes place
rapidly at high spots.

This type of failure can be avoided by

properly designing the parameters such as
speed, pressure and proper flow of the
lubricant, so that the temperature at the
rubbing faces is within the permissible
limits.
Abrasive wear

The foreign particles in the lubricants such

as dirt, dust or burr enter between the
tooth and damage the form of tooth.

This type of failure can be avoided by

providing filters for the lubricating oil or by
using high viscosity lubricant oil which
enables the formation of thicker oil film
and hence permits easy passage of such
particles without damaging the gear
surface.
Corrosive wear

The corrosion of the tooth surfaces is

mainly caused due to the presence of
corrosive elements such as additives
present in the lubricating oils.

In order to avoid this type of wear,

proper anti-corrosive additives should
be used.

Corrosive wear due to oxygen and/or moisture in the air is

shown to be a major form of gear failure
Types of Gears
• Spur Gear
• Helical Gear
• Worm Gear
• Bevel Gear
Spur gears
are used to transmit rotary motion between parallel shafts
Helical gears
are used to transmit motion between parallel or nonparallel shafts
Bevel gears
are used to transmit rotary motion between intersecting shafts
Worm gear
used to transmit rotary motion between nonparallel
and nonintersecting shafts
Rack and pinion
 Classifications of Gears according to the nature of axis
I. Parallel Axis
a. External Spur Gear
b. Internal Spur Gear
c. Herringbone Gear
d. Rack and Pinion
e. Pin Gearing
Classifications of Gears according to the nature of axis

II. Intersecting Axis

a. Plain Bevel Gear
b. Crown Bevel Gear
c. Spiral Bevel Gear
 Classifications of Gears according to the nature of axis
III. Non-Intersecting or Non-Parallel Axis
a. Hyperboloidal
b. Hypoid
c. Screw Gears
Speed Reduction Ratio
Often gears are employed to produce a change in the speed of rotation of the
driven gear relative to the driving gear.

𝑛𝑃 𝑁𝐺
=
𝑛𝐺 𝑁𝑃
SPUR GEAR
 Spur Gear
- tooth elements are straight and parallel to the shaft axes

The curved shape of the faces of the spur gear teeth have a
special geometry called an involute curve.

This shape makes it possible for two gears to operate together

with smooth, positive transmission of power.

The shafts carrying the gears are parallel.

 Several different styles of commercially available spur gears.

When gears are large, the spoked design in is often used

to save weight.

The gear teeth are machined into a relatively thin rim that
is held by a set of spokes connecting to the hub.

The bore of the hub is typically designed to be a close

sliding fit with the shaft that carries the gear.
 Several different styles of commercially available spur gears.

The solid hub design is typical of smaller spur gears.

Here the finished bore with a keyway is visible.
The set screw over the keyway allows the locking of the
key in place after assembly.
 Several different styles of commercially available spur gears.

When spur gear teeth are machined into a straight, fiat

bar, the assembly is called a rack.

The rack is essentially a spur gear with an infinite radius.

In this form, the teeth become straight-sided, rather than
the curved, involute form typical of smaller gears.
 Several different styles of commercially available spur gears.

Gears with diameters between the small solid form [Part

(b)] and the larger spoked form [Part (a)] are often
produced with a thinned web as shown in Part (d), again
to save weight.
Design of Spur Gear
It is a fundamental principle of kinematics, the study of motion, that if the line drawn perpendicular to the surfaces of
two rotating bodies at their point of contact always crosses the centerline between the two bodies at the same
place, the angular velocity ratio of the two bodies will be constant. This is a statement of the Law Of Gearing.

As demonstrated here, the gear teeth made in the involute-tooth form obey the law.
Of course, only the part of the gear tooth that actually comes into contact with the mating tooth needs to be in the
involute form.
INVOLUTE CURVE
A cylinder and wrapping a string around its
circumference.
Move the pencil away from the cylinder while
keeping the string taut.
The curve that you will draw is an involute.
Figure 8-6 is a sketch of the process.

The circle represented by the cylinder is called

the base circle.

Notice that at any position on the curve, the

string represents a line tangent to the base
circle and, at the same time, perpendicular
to the involute.
Drawing another base circle along the
same centerline in such a position that
the resulting involute is tangent to the
first one, as shown in Figure 8-7,
demonstrates that at the point of
contact, the two lines tangent to the
base circles are coincident and will
stay in the same position as the base
circles rotate. This is what happens
when two gear teeth are in mesh.
Relative positions of the teeth at several stages of engagement

Throughout the engagement

cycle there are two circles,
one from each gear, that
remain tangent.

These are called the pitch

circles. The diameter of the
pitch circle of a gear is its
pitch diameter; the point of
tangency is the pitch point.
When two gears mesh, the smaller gear is called the pinion, and the larger is the gear.

• Use the symbol Dp to indicate the pitch diameter of the pinion, and the symbol DG
for the pitch diameter of the gear.
• Use to refer for teeth NP for the pinion and NG for the gear.
Nomenclature of Spur Gear
 Terms used in Gears

1. Pitch circle - an imaginary circle which by pure

rolling action, would give the same motion as the
actual gear.

2. Pitch circle diameter - diameter of the pitch circle.

The size of the gear is usually specified by the pitch
circle diameter. It is also called as pitch diameter.

3. Pitch point - common point of contact between

two pitch circles.

4. Pitch surface - the surface of the rolling discs

which the meshing gears have replaced at the pitch
circle.
Pitch – spacing between adjacent teeth

-size of the teeth are controlled by the pitch of the teeth

3 types of pitch designation systems commonly used for Gears

1) Circular Pitch System

2) Diametral Pitch System

3) Metric Module System

Circular pitch - the distance measured on the circumference of the pitch circle
from a point of one tooth to the corresponding point on the next tooth.

- arch length usually in inches

Circumference of circle divided to
equal parts (teeth)

The pitch of two gears in mesh must be identical.

Table 8-1 lists the recommended standard circular pitches for large gear teeth.
Diametral pitch
- most common pitch system used today in United States
- no. of teeth per inch of pitch diameter

unit is 𝑖𝑛−1

This has a set list of standard pitches and most of the pitches have integer values.
Table 8-2 lists the recommended standard pitches.
The pitch of the gear determines their size and two mating gears must have the same pitch.
Figure 8-10 shows the profiles of some standard diametral pitch gear teeth, drawn actual size.

Notice that as the numerical value of the diametral pitch increases, the physical size of the tooth
decreases, and vice versa.
 Metric Module
- In the SI a common unit of length is in millimeter
- Pitch of gears in the metric system is based on his unit designated by module, m

Pitch diameter of gear in millimeters is divided by no. of teeth

Conversion from module to diametral pitch (for standards)

Recall that diametral pitch uses the inch unit, and module uses the millimeter.
Therefore, the conversion factor of 25.4 mm per inch must be applied.
5. Addendum - radial distance of a tooth from the pitch
circle to the top of the tooth.

6. Dedendum - the radial distance of a tooth from the

pitch circle to the bottom of the tooth.

7. Addendum circle - the circle drawn through the top of

the teeth and is concentric with the pitch circle.
8. Dedendum circle - the circle drawn through the bottom of
the teeth. It is also called root circle.

Note : Root circle diameter = Pitch circle diameter × cos φ,

where φ is the pressure angle.
9. Clearance
-radial distance from the top of the tooth to the
bottom of the tooth, in a meshing gear.
10. Total depth
- radial distance between the addendum and the
dedendum circle of a gear.
11. Working depth
It is radial distance from the addendum circle to the
clearance circle.
12. Tooth thickness
It is the width of the tooth measured along the pitch
circle.
13. Tooth space
It is the width of space between the two adjacent
teeth measured along the pitch circle.
14. Backlash
It is the difference between the tooth space and the
tooth thickness, as measured on the pitch circle
15. Face of the tooth
surface of a gear tooth from pitch circle to outside
circle of gear
16. Top land
It is the surface of the top of the tooth.
17. Flank of the tooth
It is the surface of the tooth from pitch circle to root
including fillet
18. Face width.
It is the width of the gear tooth measured parallel to
its axis.
19. Profile
It is the curve formed by the face and flank of the
tooth.
20. Fillet radius
It is the radius of an arc that connects the root
circle to the profile of the tooth.
21. Path of contact
It is the path traced by the point of contact of two
teeth from the beginning to the end of
engagement.
22. Length of the path of contact
It is the length of the common normal cut-off by
the addendum circles of the wheel and pinion.
23. Arc of contact
It is the path traced by a point on the pitch circle
from the beginning to the end of engagement of a
given pair of teeth.
24. Arc of approach
It is the portion of the path of contact from the
beginning of the engagement to the pitch point.
25. Arc of recess
It is the portion of the path of contact from the
pitch point to the end of the engagement of a pair
of teeth.
26. Contact ratio
The ratio of the length of arc of contact to the
circular pitch is known, i.e. number of pairs of
teeth in contact.
27. Pressure angle or angle of obliquity –

the angle between the tangent to the pitch circles and the line drawn normal (perpendicular) to the surface of the
gear tooth.

It is usually denoted by φ.
Actual shape of the gear tooth depends on pressure angle:

Standard values of the pressure angle are established by gear manufacturers, and the pressure angles of two gears in
mesh must be the same.
1
Current standard pressure angles are 14 2°, 20°, and 25° as illustrated in Figure 8-13.
1
Actually, the 14 2°, tooth form is considered to be obsolete.
Although it is still available, it should be avoided for new designs. The 20° tooth form is the most readily available.
28. Center distance (C)

The distance from the center of the pinion to the

center of the gear
- the sum of the pitch radii of two gears in mesh.

or
CIRCULAR PITCH SYSTEM
DIAMETRAL PITCH SYSTEM
METRIC MODULE PITCH SYSTEM
When two gears mesh, it is essential for smooth operation that a second tooth begin to make contact before
a given tooth disengages.

The term contact ratio is used to indicate the average number of teeth in contact during the transmission of
power. A recommended minimum contact ratio is 1.2 and typical spur gear combinations often have values of
1.5 or higher.

Contact Ratio, mf
Example page 317 (Mott, R. 2004)

Compute the contact ratio of the pair of gears with the following data:

𝑁𝑃 = 18
𝑁𝐺 = 64

𝑃𝑑 = 8

𝜙 = 20°
Example Problem 8-1 Mott, R. 2004

For the pair of gears shown in Figure 8-1, compute all of the features of the
gear teeth described in this section. The gears conform to the standard AGMA
(American Gear Manufacturers Association) form and have a diametral pitch of
12 and a 20° pressure angle.
HOMEWORK / SELF-HELP
Allot a time to develop a skill and practice GEAR DIAGRAMS (refer to gear nomenclature, follow dimensions, standards
and guidelines) just like the figure below.
Draw this figure after you’ve obtain standard values or done calculating dimensions and follow such measurements for
your drawing.
This will be checked during exam. So better bring your own standard ruler/ compass / protractor.