The material selection of worm gear is mainly based on its strength, wear resistance, anti-adhesion and anti-friction performance. The following are the commonly used materials and characteristics of worm gear:
Worm gear material
Carbon steel and alloy steel
Common materials include 40 steel, 45 steel, 20Cr, 20CrMnTi, etc.
For low-speed and medium-loaded worm gears, 40 and 45 steels can be used and tempered; high-speed and heavy-loaded worm gears often use alloy steels such as 20Cr and 20CrMnTi, and are carburized and quenched, with a hardness of up to HRC56~62.
Other optional materials include A6, 40Cr, 40CrNi, etc., with a hardness of HRC45~55 after hardening.
Surface treatment
Worm gears are usually subjected to quenching, grinding and other processes to improve the hardness and finish of the tooth surface and enhance wear resistance.
Worm gear material
Cast tin bronze
Such as ZCuSn10P1, ZCuSn5Pb5Zn5, with excellent wear resistance and anti-adhesion performance, suitable for important transmissions with sliding speeds greater than 3 m/s.
Cast aluminum iron bronze
Such as ZCuAl10Fe3, with higher strength and lower price, but poor anti-adhesion performance, suitable for transmissions with sliding speeds less than 4 m/s.
Gray cast iron
Such as HT150, HT200, suitable for low speed, light load or low efficiency requirements, the sliding speed is generally less than 2 m/s.
Ideal material combination
Steel and bronze is the most ideal combination. The combination of steel worm and bronze worm gear can meet the requirements of high strength, wear resistance and anti-adhesion.
Other materials
Non-metallic materials such as plastics or ceramics are suitable for lightweight, corrosion-resistant and low-noise occasions, such as food processing and medical equipment.
In summary, the material selection of the worm gear needs to be optimized according to the specific working conditions (such as load, speed, environment, etc.) to ensure the reliability and efficiency of the transmission system.
