Gearboxes

An Exploration into Gearboxes

Summary

Gearboxes are devices for the transmission of movement

between two shafts. In industry, gearboxes are used to transform
the speeds and torques produced by the prime mover to ensure
they are appropriate to the machine. The speeds and torques
required by the machine are dictated by its use. Prime movers
can generally only meet these requirements when combined with
gears. This article provides a thorough introduction to gearboxes.

RB02004
Rob Bretz
20 pages
September 2002

SKF Reliability Systems

@ptitudeXchange
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San Diego, CA 92123
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 Gearboxes

Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
What is a Gearbox?...................................................................................................................4

Gearing.............................................................................................................................................4
Circumference...........................................................................................................................5
Gear Ratios ...............................................................................................................................5
Compounding Gear Ratios .......................................................................................................6
Torque v. RPM .........................................................................................................................6
Reverse Rotational Direction....................................................................................................7
Synchronize Two Axes Rotation ..............................................................................................7
Change Rotational Axis............................................................................................................8

Gearing Terminology.......................................................................................................................8

Types of Gearing............................................................................................................................10
Cylindrical Gears ....................................................................................................................10
Spur Gears ..............................................................................................................................10
Helical Gears ..........................................................................................................................10
Double Helical ........................................................................................................................11
Internal Gears..........................................................................................................................11

Bevel Gears....................................................................................................................................11
Straight Bevel Gears ...............................................................................................................11
Bevel / Helical ........................................................................................................................12
Spiral Bevel ............................................................................................................................12

Hypoid Gears .................................................................................................................................12

Worm Gears ...................................................................................................................................13

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 Gearboxes

Types of Gearboxes .......................................................................................................................14

Right Angle.............................................................................................................................14
Double Reduction ...................................................................................................................15
Parallel Gearboxes ..................................................................................................................15
Planetary Gearboxes ...............................................................................................................15
Shaft Mounted Gearboxes ......................................................................................................16

Selection Criteria ...........................................................................................................................16

Bearing Types for Industrial Gearboxes ........................................................................................17

Lubrication.....................................................................................................................................18
Grease Lubrication..................................................................................................................18
Protection Against Corrosion .................................................................................................19
Compatibility ..........................................................................................................................19
Oil Lubrication........................................................................................................................19
Behavior in Presence of Air....................................................................................................19
Aging ......................................................................................................................................19

Maintenance...................................................................................................................................19
Monitoring Lubrication ..........................................................................................................20
Monitoring Load.....................................................................................................................20
Monitoring Temperature.........................................................................................................20

Further Reading .............................................................................................................................20

2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved 3


Introduction
It is impossible to determine exactly who
discovered gears and when. It is safe to
assume that the evolution of gear development
took place over a long period of time by
different independent cultures.
In his book, The Evolution of the Gear Art,
Dudley contends that the Chinese, 4500 years
ago, used gearing in a navigational tool.
Although there is little archeological evidence
to prove the existence of such a device,
ancient writings provide enough information
to make reproductions using wood gears.
Wooden pins protrude from the side faces of
the wooden wheel. Energy is transmitted
through the intermeshing pins when two
wheels are positioned at a ninety-degree angle
to each other.
In 330 B.C. Aristotle mentioned the use of
gearing as a common practice. Dudley
believes that Aristotle proves gears were in
use many years prior to 330 B.C.
Advanced gear science and metallurgy
allowed the production of smaller and harder
gear sets.
Figure 1. Early Wooden Gearing, Circa 1700.
(Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution, Photo
31705A).
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Gearboxes
Smaller, finely machined hardened gears are
capable of transmitting much heavier loads at
much higher speeds than their wooden
predecessors. As a result, more robust
gearboxes are produced in smaller operating
envelopes.
Ancient applications of gearing ranged from
milling (windmills, sawmills, and watermills),
to calendars, and weaponry. Although the
sophistication of the equipment was advanced,
the improvements in gearing spurred the
efficiencies in gearboxes we see today.
What is a Gearbox?
A box or case containing gear sets have many
different names: speed reducers, reduction
gearboxes, gear speed reducers, and
gearboxes. Gearboxes are devices for the
transmission of movement between two
shafts. In industry, gearboxes are used to
transform the speeds and torques produced by
the prime mover to ensure they are appropriate
to the machine. The speeds and torques
required by the machine are dictated by its
use. Prime movers can generally only meet
these requirements when combined with
gears.
Gearing
It is easy to understand gearboxes and how
they operate if you understand their internal
mechanisms and their relationships. Gearbox
components consist of the box, gears,
bearings, shafts, seals, and lubricant.
The gears are the main component of any
gearbox. Consequently, the rest of the
components are there merely to support the
function of the gearing.
From increasing torque and decreasing speed,
to changing rotational axes, gears are designed
for a myriad of functions. But before we look
at how it all goes together, we need to explore
the basics of gearing.
4
 Gearboxes

Circumference
Gears transmit rotational energy from one
shaft to another. To do this, the gear teeth of Input
one gear mesh with the gear teeth of another
gear. Energy is transmitted at the point of
+ +
contact, which is called the pitch angle.

By changing the diameter of one gear to a Output

larger or smaller size, the surface contact area

changes (circumference). It is this change that
causes the speed of the output shafts rotation
Figure 3. 1:1 Ratio.
to change.
In most cases, gears are used to increase or
To calculate circumference multiply the gear
decrease output speed. To increase a gear
diameter by (3.14159).
ratio, the gear circumference (number of teeth)
of the input or output gear changes.
Circle cir. = Circle Diameter x (3.14159)
If the input (driver) gear has ten teeth, and the
output (driven) gear has twenty teeth, then it is
said to have a two to one ratio (2:1). This
+ means, for every one revolution the input gear
2 x = 6.8318
makes, the output gear make one-half a
revolution, thus reducing the speed of the
6.8318
2 output shaft.
+

Input

Figure 2. Circumference.
+ +
Gear Ratios
The easy way to translate circumference Output Input
distance with gears is to calculate the gear
ratio. To do this, we assume the gears are + +

mechanically designed to work together (same

gear pitch, face width, etc.), and then count
the gear teeth.
If the input (driver) gear has twenty teeth, and
the output (driven) gear has twenty teeth, then
it is said to have a one to one ratio (1:1).
This means, that for every one revolution the
input gear makes, the output gear also makes
one revolution.
2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved
Output
Figure 4. Speed Down (2:1 Ratio).
Conversely, if the gears are transposed, so the
input (driver) gear has twenty teeth, and the
output (driven) gear has ten teeth then the
output shaft speeds up. This means, for every
one revolution the input gear makes, the
output gear makes two revolutions, thus
increasing the speed of the output shaft. This
configuration is referred to as a speed up two
to one ratio (2:1).
5
 Gearboxes

Input
1750 rpm 70 rpm
350 rpm
+ +

Input
Output
5:1 5:1
+ +

Output 1750 / 5 = 350 / 5 = 70

Figure 5. Speed Up (2:1 Ratio). Figure 7. Compound Reduction.

Compounding Gear Ratios Other configurations include the addition of a

Speed reducers incorporate compound gear belt driven, chain driven, or mechanical
sets in order to multiply the overall output variable speed drive. Again, the speed
gear ratio. Gearboxes can also run in tandem reduction is a factor of the ratio. In the V-belt
to multiply the overall speed output. For example below, the driver sheave is three
example, if an electric motor (prime mover) inches in diameter and the driven sheave is six
provides 1750 RPM and is affixed to a 5:1 inches in diameter, thus producing a 2:1 ratio.
speed reducer, the output shaft speed is 350
RPM.
1750 rpm
1750 rpm 350 rpm
350 rpm 175 rpm
5:1
+ 2:1 +

5:1

1750 / 5 = 350 / 2 = 175

1750 / 5 = 350
Figure 6. Speed Reduction.
By adding another gearbox to the
configuration, the output speed is reduced
even further. Using the example provided
above, we add another 5:1 ratio speed reducer.
As can be seen in Figure 7, the 350 RPM
output becomes 70 RPM.
Figure 8. Speed Reducer With V-Belt Drive.
Adding another reduction (2:1) by the V-belt
drive reduces the 350 RPM output from the
gearbox by half, making the final drive output
of 175 RPM.
Torque v. RPM
There is a saying in the power transmission
community that you can turn the entire earth
with a one horsepower motor if you gear it
properly. Unlikely as that may be, the
principle is accurate. A 1 hp motor operating

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 Gearboxes

at 1750 RPM produces a torque rating of 36

lbs./in. By reducing the RPM of the motor
shaft through a 30:1 speed reducer, the torque
Input
produced becomes 1087 lbs./in.
+ +

Output
Torque

Figure 11. Reverse Rotational Direction.

Apart from changing the direction of the input

source, an intermediate gear can be added to
RPM ensure same input and output gear rotation.
Figure 9. Torque v. RPM Curve.

Consequently, every speed-reducing device

added to the overall drive increases torque. In Input Output
the example below, the initial shaft torque of
the 1 hp motor is 36 lbs./in. After the first
+ + +
reduction (5:1 speed reducer) the torque
increases to 180 lbs./in. Finally, in the V-belt
Intermediate
drive speed reduction (2:1) the shaft torque is
360 lbs./in.

36 lbs./in. Figure 12. Same Direction of Rotation.

360 lbs./in.
1 hp 5:1
Synchronize Two Axes Rotation
1750 rpm 350 rpm
+ +
2:1 The same basic theory is used to synchronize
175 rpm the rotation direction of two parallel shafts.
1 hp @ input
63,025 180 lbs./in. With one input gear, two output shafts rotate
T= = 36 Lbs./in.
1750 in the same direction.
1 hp @ output 1 hp @ equipment
63,025 63,025
T= = 180 Lbs./in. T= = 360 Lbs./in.
350 175

Figure 10. Speed Reduction = Torque Increase. Output Input Output

Reverse Rotational Direction + + +

In combination with any speed up or down

ratio configuration, the direction of rotation is
adjusted by the quantity of gears.

Normal output gear rotation is always

Figure 13. Synchronizing Two Outputs (Same
opposite that of the input gear.
Direction).
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By adding an intermediate gear, the two
outputs rotate in opposite directions.
Output Input Intermediate Output
+ + + +
Intermediate Input
Figure 14. Synchronizing Two Outputs (Opposite
Directions).
Change Rotational Axis
Depending upon the desired engineering
configuration, it is sometimes necessary to
change the output shafts axis. This means the
output shaft is not parallel to the input shaft.
While ninety-degree (right angle) speed
reducers are most common, angles of varying
degrees are also used.
The previous gearing arrangements are most
common in parallel and planetary speed
reducers; however, the mechanics are still the
same when changing the output axis.
In the ninety-degree configuration (Figure 9)
the output shaft rotates in the opposite
direction of the input shaft. By changing the
input gear to ten teeth, and the output gear to
twenty teeth, a 2:1 ratio is incorporated, which
cuts the output to one-half the input shaft.
2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved
Gearboxes
Figure 15. Change Rotational Axes.
Gearing Terminology
Like everything else, speed reducers have
their own terminology. This next section
provided a brief overview of common need
to know industry phrases.
Efficiency - Important to any power
transmission component is the efficiency
rating. Usually stated as a percentage, speed
reducer efficiency is the amount of the
reducers output power compared to the
amount of input power.
Input HP = 1
Output HP = .80
(80/100) x (100) = 80% Efficiency
Figure 16. Efficiency Calculation.
Axial Movement - Expressed in thousandths
of an inch, axial movement is the distance
measured through the input or output shafts
commonly referred to as endplay.
8
 Gearboxes

Backlash - Measured in thousandths of an Face Width

inch at a radius on the shaft, backlash is the
rotational movement of the output shaft while
the input shaft is held in a stationary position.

Thermal Rating - The thermal rating of a

speed reducer is based upon its ability to
dissipate heat (generated by friction) while
allowing the maximum continuous power /
torque to be transmitted.
Figure 17. Gear Face Width.
Prime Mover The prime mover is the
power source. The most common prime
Outside Diameter - On an individual gear,
movers are electric motors, hydraulic motors,
outside diameter is the measurement from the
internal combustion engines, and air motors.
top of the gears tooth to the diametrically
Input Horsepower - The amount of power opposed tooth.
applied to the input shaft of a speed reducer.

Output Horsepower - Based on losses causes

by gearbox inefficiencies, output horsepower
is the power available at the output shaft.

Outside Diameter
Overhung Load - An overhung load is
induced by a force (or weight) applied to a
shaft at a right angle, beyond the outermost
bearing. Overhung loads generate undue
forces on shafts, gear sets, and bearings, and
should be minimized. Figure 18. Outside Diameter.

Service Factor - Service factor (also referred
to as safety factor) is a manufacturers
predefined multiplier used to calculate speed
reducer load. Because applications differ in
severity, service factors are added to the speed
reducers load ratings to ensure proper sizing.
Center Distance - On a gear assembly (most
commonly used in sizing worm gearboxes),
the center distance refers to the measurement
between the centerlines of mating gears.

Face Width - The measurement across the

face of the gear.
+
Center Distance

Figure 19. Center Distance.

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Pitch Diameter - The point at which two-
gears meet and power is transmitted. The
diameter is the measurement from pitch point
to the diametrically opposed pitch point. (See
dotted line below).
Pitch Diameter
Figure 20. Pitch Diameter.
Diametral Pitch - Defined in the terms of a
ratio, diametral pitch is the ratio between the
pitch diameter and the number of gear teeth.
Types of Gearing
Cylindrical Gears
The cylindrical gear is the most well-known
and commonly used gear design. The
dimensioning and manufacture of cylindrical
gears are the easiest to control. Consequently,
cylindrical gears are in rolling contact with
each other irrespective of tooth type, so they
are relegated to parallel shaft axes use.
Figure 21. Cylindrical Gears.
2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved
Gearboxes
Spur Gears
Spur gears (with straight cut teeth) are simple
in design and can be accurately produced.
Figure 22. Spur Gear.
They are commonly used in planetary gears
speed reducers, as the axial forces generated
by inaccuracies and deformations (twisting)
are usually too low to be considered.
Helical Gears
Helical gears with angled teeth run smoothly
and can carry heavier loads than those with
straight cut teeth.
Figure 23. Helical Gears.
10

Due to the additional axial forces produced,
the shaft bearings must be designed to
compensate accordingly.
Double Helical
The double helical allows for large tooth
widths and can carry particularly heavy loads.
Figure 24. Double Helical Gear Set.
Figure 25. Double Helical Gears.
The axial forces produced on each individual
helical set cancel each other out.
Unfortunately, deviations in tooth helix angles
can cause axial vibration.
Internal Gears
Internal gears (gears with the teeth on the
inside) have greater load carrying capacity
than external, due to the favorable tooth
contact. However, Internal gears are more
difficult to produce.
2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved
Gearboxes
Figure 26. Internal Gears.
The most common use of internal gears is in
planetary (epicyclical) gear reducer
applications. Planetary gear reducers alone are
complex, and depending upon the application,
the bearing arrangement becomes more
complex.
Bevel Gears
The common characteristic of bevel type
gearing is that the shaft axes intersect each
other. There are three basic designs
categorized by tooth form.
Figure 27. Miter and Bevel Gear (Illustration Courtesy
of PIC Design).
Straight Bevel Gears
Straight bevel gears are cut with teeth parallel
to the shafts axis. The gear mesh begins and
ends across the total tooth width.
11
 Gearboxes

Even though the total overlap is bigger, and

noise behavior is lower than straight bevel cut
teeth, bevel gears are not frequently used.

Spiral Bevel
Spiral bevel gears with spiral cut angled,
curved teeth have clear advantages in load
capacity.

Figure 28. Straight Bevel Cut Gears.

The relatively high noise limits the use of

these gears to low speed drives at moderate
power.

Figure 31. Spiral Bevel Cut Gears

Those with ground teeth are quieter than other

bevel gear types. For bevel gears that have to
transmit high power, spiral bevel gears are the
most frequently used.

Figure 29. Straight Bevel Gears.

Bevel / Helical
Bevel gears with helical (angled) straight teeth
are usually ground and the mesh is gradual.

Figure 32. Spiral Bevel Gear (Illustration Courtesy of

Arrow Gear Co. and PIC Design).

Hypoid Gears
In a hypoid gear set the pinion shaft axis is
displaced so that the shafts do not intersect,
but instead, cross.
Figure 30. Bevel / Helical Cut Gears.

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Figure 33. Hypoid Gears.
Hypoid gears usually have spiral cut teeth.
Their advantages derive from the larger pinion
and smaller circumferential force for the same
torque. Moreover, the axis displacement, often
allows the pinion to be supported at both
sides, which creates a stiffer bearing
arrangement.
The sliding motion in the longitudinal
direction of teeth also improves noise
behavior. However, the additional sliding
motion in the mesh increases friction, wear,
and risk of smearing, thus requiring the use of
hypoid oils with high additive content. Hypoid
gears are most commonly used in vehicle
drivelines.
Worm Gears
The worm and wheel shaft axes cross each
other at a distance, and usually a 90 angle.
Figure 34. Worm Gear Set (Typical).
2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved
Gearboxes
Worm gears are suitable for large single stage
speed reduction. Worm drives are popular due
to their quiet operation and vibration damping
characteristics. Unfortunately, the efficiency
of worm gear sets is lower than bevel / spur
and planetary gears because of the higher
proportion of sliding motion. To reduce the
friction, synthetic lubricants are now common.
The most commonly used design is the
cylindrical worm paired with a concave gear.
Figure 35. Single Enveloping Worm Gear Set.
The cylindrical worm can be hardened and
ground to improve load carrying capacity. It is
also freely adjustable in the axial direction to
simplify the bearing arrangement and
mounting.
There are two other designs: a concave worm
with a concave gear (Figure 36), and the more
seldom used concave worm with a cylindrical
gear (Figure 37).
Figure 36. Double-Enveloping Concave Worm and
Gear.
13
 Gearboxes

Right Angle
A right angle gear speed reducer allows for
input and output shaft configuration at a
ninety-degree angle. Gear sets used in a right
angle reducer are hypoid, spiral bevel, and the
worm.

Figure 37. Concave Worn with Cylindrical Gear.

Types of Gearboxes
Gearboxes are characterized by having at least
three members: the power input, power
output, and the housing. Obviously, the input
and output assemblies transmit power from
one shaft to the other. It is also important to
note that the housing transmits gear reaction
forces to the base, which is important when Figure 39. Right Angle Worm Speed Reducer.
sizing the speed reducer to a severe
application. Worm gear sets are most common in right
angle reducers due to their low noise, smooth
Figure 38 illustrates a very rudimentary speed operation, and high ratios (as high as 70:1).
reducer. The shaft input and output are However, it is the economical use of space
parallel to each other designating it as a that makes the right angle gearbox so popular,
parallel speed reducer. The input gear (on as it allows for a myriad of equipment design
input shaft P1) is smaller than the output gear and safety options.
(on output shaft P2) designating it as a speed
down reducer. Because there are only two
Equipment
gears, we know the output shaft rotation is
Parallel/Planetary
opposite of the input shaft.

Right Angle
Equipment

Figure 40. Space Utilization Right Angle v. Parallel.

There are many drawbacks to using worm

geared speed reducers. The fact that they are
Figure 38. Parallel Gearbox. relegated lower reduction ratios (5:1) creates
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 Gearboxes

the problem of design utilization. More than
anything else, worm geared reducers are
inefficient (see the section on Worm Gears).
Double Reduction
Double reduction gearboxes take advantage of
all the right angle reducer characteristics, but
they also accommodate even higher ratios.
More significant in the selection of a parallel
shaft gearbox is its relatively low cost.
The disadvantages of parallel speed reducers
are noise, lower load carrying capacity, and
high-end ratio (anywhere from 6:1 to 10:1
max).

Figure 43. Helical Gear Speed Reducer.

Figure 41. Double Reduction Gearbox (Illustration Planetary Gearboxes

Courtesy of Indiana Power Transmission Systems, Inc).
Parallel Gearboxes
Named after the fact the shafts are parallel to
each other, parallel gearboxes components
include: housing, spur, helical, herringbone
gearing, shafts, and bearings.
Planetary gear speed reducers achieve high
ratios in comparatively smaller operating
envelopes. Planetary gearbox components
include: housing, sun gear, planet gear, ring
gear, shafts, planet carrier, and bearings.

Figure 44. Planetary Speed Reducer.

Figure 42. Parallel Gear Reducer. The planetary (epicyclical) gear speed reducer
is commonly used in industry due to its simple
The gearing used in parallel speed reducers design: the central sun gear drives the planet
offers the advantages of both mechanical gears, which revolve within a stationary
efficiency and very low ratios (as low as 1:1). internal ring gear.
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Planet Planet
+ +
+
SUN
Planet
+
Figure 45. Planetary Gear Set Configuration.
In contrast to the spur gear units previously
described (the shafts of which are supported in
stationary housings), the planetary gear unit
has planet gears that are supported by bearings
on the planet carrier assembly (short shafts)
connected to a planet arm (planetary
carrier).
Figure 46. Planetary Components.
The revolving planet gears drive the carrier
(Figure 46 S) through the planet bearings,
which are attached to the output shaft.
Planetary gear drives are smaller in volume,
overall weight, and centrifugal mass. Because
the rolling and sliding velocities in the mesh
are lower, the planetary reducer is quieter. The
advantages led to a continuous increase in the
economic importance of planetary gear drives
in spite of their disadvantages (difficult
inspection, maintenance, and repairs).
2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved
Gearboxes
Shaft Mounted Gearboxes
Shaft mounted gearboxes differ from all
others due to the fact that the housing is
mounted on the shaft it drives.
Figure 47. Shaft Mounted Speed Reducer (Conveyor
Application).
Figure 49 illustrates where a shaft mounted
speed reducer is located on a conveyor head
pulley. As can be seen, the speed reducer does
not need support from anything other than the
shaft. In addition, the electric motor is easily
mounted to the speed reducer, again
eliminating the need for external mounting
support.
Because the shaft mounted speed reducer
operates like the foot mounted helical
gearbox, the same performance benefits apply.
Benefits to shaft mounted speed reducer are
easy installation and removal, true concentric
mount fit, capability of handling high shock
loads, high range of ratios, and a broad range
of accessories to support any application need.
Selection Criteria
There are many factors to consider in the
selection process of the proper gear speed
reducer. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as
calculating speed, torque, horsepower, and
output RPM.
With the introduction of computerized
engineering manuals, most gear reducer
16

manufacturers have made it easy to make
basic gearbox selections.
The basic selection process is as follows:
1. Determine the service factor each
gearbox manufacturer publishes service
factors for each speed reducer type.
Service factors can be found in their
engineering guides.
2. Determine the gearbox (unit) size This
refers to minimum horsepower, and is
found in the manufacturers engineering
tables. Based upon the proper service
factor, the motor horsepower and RPM are
used to select the proper unit size.
3. Check thrust and overhung loads
Again, the manufacturers engineering
catalogue will have a chart for making this
determination.
4. Check dimensions After the unit size is
selected (and the thrust and overhung
loads are determined) the units
dimensions must be looked at to determine
if the selected unit will fit into the desired
application.
5. Select gearbox accessories
Configuration, mounting type, cooling
fans, etc.
While these basic selection guidelines assist in
proper speed reducer selection, there are many
more considerations that go into the selection
process. The manufacturer usually considers
these factors when designing and applying
speed reducers:
Cooling
Noise
Radial and/or axial forces on the in-put
and output shafts, example for extruders;
External forces on the casing, example in
mining
2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved
Gearboxes
Heavy impacts, or torque peaks
Vibration
Extreme environmental influences
Sealing methods
Reversing
Reversing operation
Back driving and back stops
Clearance and stiffness
Precision
Lubrication
Minimum maintenance
Retrofitting
Arrangement
Accessibility of measuring points
Bearing Types for Industrial
Gearboxes
Rolling element bearings are used almost
exclusively for shaft and gear wheels support
in industrial gearboxes. The exceptions are in
some specialized areas, such as high speed,
high power turbo-compressor drives, where
hydrodynamic plain bearings are used.
There are many good reasons for this
dominance of rolling bearings:
Good shaft location with minimum radial
and axial play enables optimum gear
meshing to be achieved.
High specific load carrying capacity with
low friction.
Wide range of internationally standardized
products produced in high volumes at
reasonable prices, and good availability.
17

Can be calculated using reliable load
carrying capacity values.
Simple arrangement.
Axially compact so that short and stiff
shafts can be used.
Normal tolerances and surface finishes for
shaft and housing seatings.
Less sensitive to misalignment than plain
bearings.
Standard bearings can accommodate radial
and axial loads.
Not influenced by direction of load or
rotation.
Low starting and running torque.
No starting problems in intermittent
operation.
Relatively easy to lubricate.
Favorable behavior under emergency
conditions.
Economical maintenance.
Lubrication
Gear sets and rolling bearings only perform
reliably when they are adequately lubricated.
The lubricant prevents inter-metallic contact
between gears and rolling elements, raceways,
and cages. It also protects gear and bearing
surfaces against corrosion.
The task of choosing the most suitable
lubricant and method of lubrication is made
more difficult due to different and varying
demands on lubrication that exist within the
same gearbox. Generally, the lubrication must
not only be appropriate for the gears, but also acceptable for small units and gear motors, as
for the bearings.
Additionally, the operating conditions for the positions (horizontal, vertical or inclined at an
individual gears and bearings in a gearbox are angle). In such cases, lubricant supply is more
often very different. One type of lubrication
2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved
Gearboxes
can be the optimum for high-speed, lightly
loaded gears and bearings, but unsuitable for
heavily loaded gears and bearings that rotate
slowly. The operating temperature, which has
a significant influence on the quality of
lubrication, is often dependent on the load and
speed, and affected by changes in ambient
temperature.
Generally, only one method of lubrication and
one lubricant can be used throughout a
gearbox, which results in seldom achieving
optimum lubrication for all gears and
bearings. To find the best compromise, all the
demands regarding lubrication and lubricant
properties must be carefully evaluated. Use
the manufacturers recommendations for
lubrication whenever possible.
Grease Lubrication
The most important advantages of grease
lubrication are:
Good protection against corrosion, as
grease adheres well to the gear and bearing
surfaces.
The efficiency of seals against external
contaminants is reinforced.
There is little risk of lubricant leakage.
Reliable lubricant supply (particularly
when operation is intermittent), as the
grease is retained at the gear and bearing
position.
Freedom from maintenance for sealed,
lubricated-for-life bearings.
From this it is possible to define the main
areas where grease lubrication can be
employed in gearboxes. It is used mostly
the gears are also grease lubricated. Small
gearboxes may often be used in varying
reliable if grease is used rather than oil bath
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lubrication. Sealing arrangements can also be
simpler if grease is used. The life
requirements are often very moderate for
small units, and if they are only used for short
periods at a time, they require little to no
maintenance.
For oil bath lubricated vertical shaft
gearboxes, grease lubrication of the upper
bearings is common as the amount of oil
splashed up is generally inadequate. The
grease can be retained in position by baffle
plates.
Protection Against Corrosion
Usually gearboxes are well protected against
the penetration of water. Nevertheless, the
presence of water or moisture cannot be
completely prevented, as differences in
temperature allow condensation to form. Since
any water-induced corrosion in the rolling
contacts of a bearing or gears quickly destroys
bearing surfaces, only greases with good rust-
inhibiting properties should be used.
Compatibility
If, for some reason, it is necessary to change
to another grease, ensure the base oil and
thickener of the old and new greases are
compatible. When a combination of oil and
grease lubrication is used (example grease
lubricated bearings and oil lubricated gears)
the lubricants should also be compatible with
each other. This is particularly important when
synthetic gear oils and mineral oil based
bearing greases are used.
Oil Lubrication
Gearbox bearings are generally oil lubricated
when it is simpler to use a single lubricant and
the gears are to be oil lubricated. The use of
oil lubrication for gears and bearings has the
following advantages:
2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved
Gearboxes
Oil can remove heat when gears and
bearings operate at high speeds and high
temperatures.
At very slow speeds and under heavy
loads, oil penetrates to the gears bearing
surfaces more easily than grease.
Less maintenance is required in respect of
supplying oil to the gear and bearing
positions than for grease lubrication,
enhancing operational reliability.
The intervals between oil changes are
longer than grease re-lubrication intervals,
particularly for medium and large-sized
gears and bearings.
Changing oil is simpler than changing
grease.
Behavior in Presence of Air
At moderate, to high speeds, there is a danger
of air becoming mixed into the oil. As a result,
foaming may occur. Therefore, it is important
for oils to have good antifoaming properties.
Aging
Lubricating oils oxidize as a result of external
influences, such as high temperatures and
exposure to air. This oxidation is accelerated
in the presence of some metals, such as copper
or iron (wear particles). Anti-oxidant additives
slow down the process. Synthetic lubricating
oils are more resistant to oxidation than
mineral oils, but are not always as good in
respect to lubricant film formation. Synthetic
oils are used for worm gears because of lower
friction, and for gears used in a wide range of
temperatures (i.e. wind turbines).
Maintenance
Speed reducer gear and bearing maintenance
basically consists of monitoring the operating
conditions in the gearbox and monitoring the
condition of the gears and bearings. This
preventive maintenance should enable early
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identification of any malfunction so that
remedial action can be taken. Such action
should either prevent premature ending of the
bearing service life or, at least enable bearing
replacement to be planned.
Monitoring Lubrication
Lubricant supply and lubricant quality should
be checked. To check the lubricant supply,
simple means are available, such as a sight
glass for oil bath lubrication. For circulating
oil lubrication on the other hand, complex
systems are required to check oil pressure,
flow rate, and temperature at each lubrication
position. It must also include an alarm system.
When choosing the monitoring arrangements
lubricant supply reliability should be weighed
against the costs that could occur in the event
of a blockage. Measuring the temperature in
the oil bath, the return duct, and the bearings
can monitor oil quality. This allows the
operating viscosity to be evaluated.
Additionally, regular oil analysis is
recommended.
A common recurring problem in gearboxes is
particle production. Because many gearboxes
use the same oil for both gear and bearing
lubrication, wear particles from the gear sets
migrate into the bearing assembly, causing
premature bearing failure. There are solutions
for this potential problem. In a wind turbine
for example, more advanced oil systems
and/or filters are installed to keep gear wear
particles from getting into the bearings.
Monitoring Load
The power consumption of the drive is
sometimes used as a measure of load.
However, this is not suitable for monitoring
bearing loads, as peak loads are very much
smoothed in the recording. Better information
is obtained by measuring torque, and if
possible, stress at the root of the gear teeth.
A reliable bearing load measurement can only
be obtained by using special force measuring
2004 SKF Reliability Systems All Rights Reserved
Gearboxes
bearing equipped with strain gauges. As this
method is very expensive, it is generally only
used for new developments or during damage
analysis.
Monitoring Temperature
An indication of incipient bearing damage
occurs quite late by monitoring the
temperature. At low speeds there may be no
indication at all. Therefore, measuring
temperature is only appropriate for condition
monitoring of gears and bearings at high
speeds as an indication of trends.
Temperature measurements of bearings,
gearboxes, and oil are very suitable for
monitoring the operating viscosity of the oil.
This allows important deductions to be made
with respect to the operating conditions.
Further Reading
American Gear Manufacturers Association
AGMA http://www.agma.org/
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASME http://www.asme.org/
Drago, Raymond J. Fundamentals of Gear
Design. Stoneham, Massachusetts.
Butterworth Publishers, 1988.
Dudley, D.W. The Evolution of the Gear Art.
Washington, D.C. American Gear
Manufacturers Association, 1969.
Lynwander, Peter. Gear Drive Systems;
Design and Application. New York, New
York. Marcel Dekker, Inc., 1983.
Price, Derek De Solla. Gears from the Greeks;
The Antikythera Mechanism A Calendar
Computer from c. 80 B.C. Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, 1974.
V D I [German]
http://www.vdi.de/vdi/ie4x.php
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