In any type of engine or machine, the total reliability and the life cycle of the system is only as good as the weakest part of the system. Gears in any type of machine or engine are going to take a beating and have significant exposure to wear and tear even under typical use conditions.
The Reasons Behind Heat Treatments
One important factor for gear manufacturers to consider is the heat treatment of gears. With different options to consider and different heat treatment companies making various recommendations, it is essential to make sure you are matching the heat treatment option with the desired end results.
In general, all heat treatment of gears is designed to change the internal characteristics of the metal. This can include creating a better surface to reduce friction, to boost the core hardness of the gear or to increase the overall strength and durability of the components. It is also possible to choose a heat treatment option that will make the metal more machinable, something that may be critical with some types of processes.
Common Options
It will be important to determine if the heat treatment is required on the entire gear, or if it will only be completed on some of the design elements. When the treatment is required only in some areas, induction heat treatments are often the most effective.
For the entire gear, annealing is a common option to increase the machinability of the component. Normalizing can also be used, with this method bringing about additional hardness benefits as well as good machinability.
A very common option in the heat treatment of gears is the use of carburizing. This is a surface treatment that will increase the resistance of the gear to wear and tear by adding carbon to the surface.
