Worm Gears are right angle drives providing huge speed ratios on comparatively brief center distances from 1/4” to 11”. When properly installed and lubricated they function as the quietist and smoothest running type of gearing. Due to the high ratios feasible with worm gearing, Nylon Gear Rack optimum speed reduction can be accomplished in less space than many other types of gearing.
EFFICIENCY of worm gear drives depends to a large level on the helix position of the worm. Multiple thread worms and gears with higher helix position prove 25% to 50% more efficient than one thread worms. The mesh or engagement of worms with worm gears creates a sliding action causing considerable friction and greater loss of efficiency beyond other styles of gearing. The utilization of hardened and ground worm swith bronze worm gears boosts efficiency.
LUBRICATION is an essential factor to improve efficiency in worm gearing. Worm gear action generates considerable heat, decreasing efficiency. The amount of power transmitted at a given temperature boosts as the efficiency of the gearing increases. Proper lubrication enhances performance by reducing friction and temperature.
RATIOS of worm gear sets are dependant on dividing the amount of teeth in the gear by the amount of threads. Thus single threads yield higher ratios than multiple threads.
Basic safety PROVISION: Worm gearing shouldn’t be used because a locking mechanism to hold heavy weights where reversing action can cause harm or injury. In applications where potential damage is non-existent and self-locking is preferred against backward rotation after that use of an individual thread worm with a minimal helix angle immediately locks the worm gear drive against backward rotation.
Materials recommended for worms can be hardened steel and bronze for worm gears. Nevertheless, depending on the application unhardened metal worms operate adequately and more economically with cast iron worm gears at 50% horsepower ratings. Furthermore to metal and hardenedsteel, worms are available in stainless, aluminium, bronze and nylon; worm gears can be found in steel, hardened metal, stainless, aluminium, nylon and non-metallic (phenolic).
Gear racks are utilized to convert rotating movement into linear motion. A gear rack has straight teeth cut into one surface of a square or round portion of rod and operates with a pinion, which is a small cylindrical gear meshing with the gear rack. Generally, gear rack and pinion are collectively called “rack and pinion”. There are numerous methods to use gears.

There are applications where in fact the gear rack is stationary, while the pinion traverses and others where the pinion rotates upon a fixed axis as the gear rack moves. The previous is used widely in conveying systems while the latter can be used in extrusion systems and lifting/lowering applications.