Left, right, center: Gear orientation matters
For many months, there has been a debate regarding whether the United States would be better run by one of two political parties. Those...
The importance of face width in gear design
Faces come in many shapes and sizes. You might have a round face or maybe an oval-shaped face. You could have a square face...
How much torque can this gear handle?
Someone once asked me if I was trying to reinvent the wheel. I don’t know where that phrase was coined, as the concept of...
A primer on key gearing terms
Regardless of the style of gear that needs to be designed, there are specific criteria that need to be specified in order to manufacture...
Gear rack limitations
Gear racks are a popular gear style. They convert rotational motion into linear motion. Simply speaking, a gear rack is a section of a...
Work in a post-COVID economy
This Tooth Tips column doesn’t deal directly with gears or how they work, but bear with me. What I hope it does is address...
The accuracy of spur gearing
When deciding which spur gear to select for an application, there are several factors to consider. What is the anticipated torque? What is the...
‘I created a CAD drawing of my gear. Now build it.’
In the movie “Field of Dreams,” the character Ray Kinsella is told, “if you built it, he will come.” In engineering, there is a...
Gearing in an AI world
What is intelligence, anyway? It is the ability to acquire knowledge and skills and then apply the knowledge and skills to solve complex problems,...
Evolution of terminology related to tooth distress
Inspection of gears operating in the field requires the proper use of terms describing tooth distress. Written reports by field engineers on occasion have...
What is a worm gear?
What is a worm gear? A worm gear is a type of cylindrical gear on which the teeth are helicoid — it has teeth...
What is a spiral bevel gear?
What is a spiral bevel gear? A spiral bevel gear is a type of conically shaped gear that has octoidal teeth. The gear teeth...
What is a bevel gear?
What is a bevel gear? A bevel gear is a type of conically shaped gear that has octoidal teeth. The gear teeth of a...
Gearing 101: A primer on internal ring gears
What is an internal gear? An internal ring gear is a type of cylindrical-shaped gear that has teeth inside a circular ring. The gear...
What is a gear rack?
A gear rack is a type of gear on which gear teeth are cut on one face of a bar. The bar can be...
What is a helical gear?
What is a helical gear? A helical gear is a type of cylindrical gear on which the teeth are helicoid, that has teeth that...
Shell Eco-Marathon: The drive for green
Energy plays a critical role in our world. As populations grow and prosper, we are faced with the realization that we must meet the...
What is a spur gear?
What is a spur gear? A spur gear is a type of cylindrical gear with straight teeth that are cut parallel to the axis...
What gears should I use in my gearbox?
Although designed to transmit torque and power between rotating shafts, the choices for gearing when designing a gearbox are determined primarily by the orientation...
Perspectives on helical gearing
Perspective is a particular attitude regarding your point of view on a subject. In most cases, the perspective through which you view a subject...
