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The 4 Different Teeth Alignment Configurations of Bevel Gears
Unlike other popular gear types, bevel gears are designed to transmit energy between intersecting axes. Perpendicular alignments are the most common, but they can also be made for nearly any angle, making it possible to change the operating angle. Their teeth bearing surface, also called a surface pitch, is conically tapered or shaped.
By differing the number of teeth or diameter on each wheel, the mechanical advantage can also be changed. The ratio of teeth between the drive and driven wheels can be decreased or increased. With this, the rotational drive and torque of the succeeding wheel can be altered in relation to the first one. When its speed increases, the torque decreases and vice versa.
The teeth alignment of bevel gears can be done in four configurations:
Straight: they are similar to spur gears but have their teeth narrowing towards the apex. This type of bevel gears can become noisy because of the abrupt contact between meshing teeth.
Spiral: these ones are identical to helical gears with angled teeth which allows for incremental interlocking between gears. This results in a quieter operation. A spiral bevel gear can be set at zero angle, also called as zero bevel gears.
Hypoid: they are similar to spiral gears but their difference is on the mating gears that do not have intersecting axes. This permits for a smoother engagement and larger pinion.
Crown: as the name suggests, the teeth of this type look like points on a crown. They have pitch angles of 90 degrees and parallel with the axis.
Bevel gears have diverse applications including locomotives, automobiles, marine applications, cooling towers, steel and power plants, printing press, and many more.
If your enterprise is looking for an excellent partner in gear cutting, True Gear and Spline Ltd. has the experience, expertise and tools to take on any project. We are responsive and efficient in achieving reliable results in gear cutting and hobbing service. We count on modern CNC gear hobbing machines ready to produce spur gears, splines, helical gears and double helical gears. We can confidently cut customized profiles at the quickest possible turnaround time.
