Gears are a simple machine used in thousands of different applications, from wrist watches to space shuttles, but what do they actually do? Why do we need gear manufacturing to keep our world moving?

Gears are significant because they allow us to transfer motion and power in efficient, controllable ways. But what are those ways, and how are they important to our machines and our society?

Engine Gears

1. Speed. Different sized gears can be used to efficiently change the speed of a system. Large gears with many teeth, when interlocking with small gears with few teeth, have to spin fewer times to keep up with the total motion of the machine. The smaller gears have to spin faster, giving you a way to increase rotational speed.
2. Force. In a similar setup, you can use gears to increase the force of a system; that extra speed doesn’t appear out of nowhere. Turning the small gear fast will make the larger gear turn slower, but with much more force. This is useful for applications that deal with extra weight or pressure.
3. Rotation direction. Gears are also useful for changing the direction of rotational motion. Spur gears can reverse direction, worm gears change rotation al direction by 90 degrees, and bevel gears can transmit motion around corners.
4. Movement. Rack and pinion gears are sometimes used for direct movement within a machine. These use a gear wheel (pinion) to mesh with a ridged bar-shaped gear (rack), which is sometimes fixed in place. This can be used to climb hills (such as with roller coasters or trains), or even to steer your vehicle.

Gears will never wane in importance, so long as we have physical machines to rely on. If you’re interested in getting a quote on your next gear manufacturing job, be sure to contact us!