Industrial Gears

Industrial Gears

An industrial gear is a round mechanical component that has a “teethed” circumference. Its teeth connect with complementary teethed gear wheels or parts. The combination of industrial gears or similarly teethed devices functions to transfer rotational motion or speed. Industrial gears can simply be used to transfer rotational motion, or the interlocking of gears with unequal diameters can produce an increase in rotational speed and rotational force (torque).

In industrial gear combinations, the smaller gear is called the pinion and the larger is the gear, or wheel. A pinion may also be combined with a rack, which can be thought of as a toothed shaft, and as the pinion rotates between the rack’s teeth, the rack moves in the straight line. This type of industrial gearing is used, for example, in the automotive industry for the steering wheel to move the tire rods, hence, “rack-and-pinion” steering.

Industrial gears can also be used to reverse motion direction, decrease rotation speed or synchronize axes. Any machinery or mechanical equipment that has revolving parts includes gears: car engines and transmissions, wind-up, grandfather and pendulum clocks, power meters and any other engine or motor that generates rotary motion.

Industrial Gears and Industrial Gear Manufacturers Image Provided by Omni Gear & Machine Corporation