All About Bevel Gear Sets

Gears are machine components that mesh with toothed parts to transmit torque, and they serve as a crucial part type for countless machinery equipment, vehicles, appliances, and more. Bevel gears in particular are a specific gear type that are used in applications where there is a need for changing the axis of rotation for a shaft. A bevel gear system can feature various bevel gear variations, though most are cone-shaped gears which transmit their power between two intersecting axes. Bevel gears are used in many powered tools and automotive assemblies, thus being aware of their common types and how they are used can be very beneficial.

Bevel gears can come in many forms, and the most popular variations include straight cut, spiral, and hypoid bevel gears. Straight cut bevel gears are those that feature axes that intersect on the same plane. The intersection of the bevel gear pitch surface and axis is known as the pitch apex, and paired gears will mesh together from their pitch apexes to properly engage their teeth. A straight cut bevel gear system is most beneficial for maximum efficiency needs as their rolling contact of teeth allows for low transmission load loss. Despite this advantage, such systems are fairly noisy during operations due to their method of meshing. Altogether, straight cut bevel gears are a good choice for low speed applications permitting 1:1 and 5:1 gear ratios.

The spiral bevel gear is a type that features a conical pitch surface and helically cut teeth. With this design, noise and vibration are both reduced as the engagement of the teeth is more gradual and smooth. Spiral bevel gear assemblies feature similar advantages for efficiency such as the straight cut bevel type, and they may have gear ratios of 1:1 to 5:1. The spiral bevel system also features axes which are located on the same plane.

Hypoid bevel gear systems are the final common type, and they have a similar appearance to spiral bevel gears. Such gear sets even have a helical tooth form, though the pitch surface is a hypoid and no axes intersect. Due to the axial offset of the hypoid bevel gear system, they have characteristics that serve as a combination of worm and bevel gear sets. When compared to a worm gear set, hypoid bevel gears can achieve similar transmissions of large amounts of torque. Meanwhile, their low noise and vibration during operations gives them the smooth characteristics of a bevel gear set. As there may be various types of hypoid gears available, those that are closer to a bevel gear set will have increased efficiency and lower losses.

Hypoid gear systems in particular can often be found in trucks where they are implemented in the differential. While the characteristics of such assemblies would normally warrant the use of a worm gear set due to the amount of torque being transferred, hypoid gear systems provide the efficiency and smoothness needed for such applications. Some argue that automobiles should use the spiral bevel gear set for the means of smoothness and increased fuel economy, but such components are unable to provide their use in the limited space of automobile assemblies.

Bevel gears are beneficial for a number of uses, and their varying types can ensure that the proper fit is found for a given application. ASAP Aerospace is a leading supplier of aircraft parts, and we are your sourcing solution for top quality hardware components and products that are new, used, obsolete, or hard-to-find. To ensure that our customers only receive what is best, we enact rigorous quality assurance testing for all items prior to their shipment, and every order comes with its qualifying certifications or manufacturing trace documentation as applicable. Begin the purchasing process today with a competitive quote on items you are interested in with the submission of an RFQ form as provided on our website.

1. jacob luiz
2. Posted on May 3, 2021
aircraft parts