Worm gears are a special type of gear with a unique design. There’s a worm wheel, which looks much like a “traditional” spur gear, and the worm gear component itself, which consists of a spiral that’s driven forward by the wheel. This produces a sliding action with low output speed and high torque, making the worm gear somewhat inefficient–but highly specialized for certain tasks.
These are just a few examples of applications where worm gears are efficient choices:
- Low-noise applications. Worm gears are exceptionally quiet, which makes them ideal where noise is an issue. By contrast, spur gears and other gears tend to emit high-pitched whines and other noises, especially at high speeds. Worm gears are frequently used in public places, like theaters and airports.
- Fast stopping. When fast stopping is a necessity, worm gears work well thanks to their unique design. For example, worm gears are often used in elevators. They aren’t used as a solo braking system, as they wouldn’t have the power or reliability to do so, but work well as part of a full braking system.
- Minimal space. Worm gears can also be used efficiently where there isn’t much space available, thanks to their compact design and minimal need for room. For example, they can be used in conveyors and other small pieces of equipment.
- Shock loading. Thanks to the gears in an ordinary worm gear set being made of different metals, they can more easily absorb shock loads. This makes them ideal for application in some construction equipment, and other materials that frequently deal with heavy loads.
If you’re interested in more information about how worm gears work, or if you need a worm gear for your custom application, be sure to reach out to us at Federal Gear.