ME100 Basics of Mechanical Engineering Module 4 :'Gears and Gear Drives'

• —   A gear is a toothed member.
•    It is designed to transmit motion and thus power to another toothed member by successively engaging its teeth with those of the other gear
•    The teeth may be cut on cylindrical or conical or rectangular or elliptical blocks.
•    The tooth shape and sizes of gears are standardized.
•    The gears may be manufactured from metallic or nonmetallic materials.
•   The metallic gears with cut teeth are commercially obtainable in cast iron, steel and bronze.

Classificationof Gears

The main types of gears are as follows

• —   Spur Gear
• —   Helical gear
• —   Herringbone gears
• —   Bevel Gears
•    Worm Gears
•    Rack and pinion Gears

Gear Drives

• These are drives which transmit motion and thus power from one shaft to another with the help of gears when the distance between them is relatively small.
• The axes of the shafts may be parallel, non-parallel or intersecting.
• These are positive drives.
•  They transmit power at a constant speed ratio

Advantages of Gear Drives

•    It is a positive smooth drive
• — Operation is smooth and service is reliable.
•    —Transmit comparatively more power
•    Transmit power in  any desired direction
•    Gear wheels are interchangeable except Bevel gears

Disadvantages of Gear Drives

• —    Not suitable for large center distance because the drive    becomes bulky
•    Production cost is high and efficiency is less
• —   Needs lubrication, hence maintenance cost is there.

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