Historically, gears have been made from metals, metal alloys, or in some cases, varieties of plastic. Gear materials need to fulfill a wealth of conditions simultaneously, which makes them hard to come by. Materials need to be hard, but also malleable and cuttable to allow precision in the manufacturing process, and also need to be able to stand up to extreme conditions in their respective applications.
Metal alloys have been popular because of their flexibility here; and there are many alloy combinations to choose from. However, there are some promising new materials on the horizon, including some you wouldn’t expect.
- Ceramic. The material in your coffee mug may not seem like it could make a good gear, but it’s perfect for some applications. Metals can’t be used reliably in conditions with strong magnetic fields, in areas of extreme heat, or where constant wear is a problem. Ceramic is able to resist these dangers, though fracturing can be a problem.
- Injection Molding. Injection molding involves a different process during manufacturing that makes the finished gears more corrosion resistant, and can easily make more complex parts. However, the high cost makes it impractical for large-scale operations, such as large gears or high-quantity runs.
- Metallic Glass. It sounds like a contradiction, but it’s actually the best of both worlds. Metallic glass hybridizes glass and metal, producing gears that have high strength, high wear resistance, and low melting temperatures that make it easier to manufacture.
Gear manufacturing is on a course to become more sophisticated, more efficient, and offer a broader range of options than ever before. If you’re interested in learning more about gear manufacturing’s future, be sure to contact us!