Analysis of the service life of the worm gear and worm meshing in the slewing drive

Worm gear and worm slewing drive is a kind of reducer that can carry large loads. It is driven by the worm to rotate frictionally with the worm gear. During use, the service life of the worm gear and worm slewing drive is affected by the meshing between the worm and worm gear. So what are the factors that affect the service life of the worm gear and worm slewing drive? Let’s have a brief analysis from the engineers of U-TRSM.

Material selection for worm gear and worm:

The material of worm gear and worm has an important influence on its life, generally speaking, the worm gear material should have the characteristics of high strength, friction resistance, corrosion resistance and so on, the commonly used materials include bronze, cast iron, alloy steel and so on. And the worm material should have high hardness, high wear resistant and other characteristics, commonly used materials include forged steel, alloy steel and so on.

Heat treatment process:

The heat treatment process also has a significant impact on the life of the worm gear and worm. A proper heat treatment process can improve the hardness and wear resistance of the material, thereby extending the service life of the slewing drive. Common heat treatment process methods include high frequency quenching, nitriding, and carburising quenching.

Design of meshing tooth parameters:

The design of meshing parameters is one of the key factors in the life analysis of the worm gear and worm, including the diameter coefficient of the worm, modulus, number of teeth, helix angle, pressure angle and other parameters. The selection of these parameters will directly affect the transmission efficiency, load carrying capacity, wear condition and life of the worm gear slewing drive.

Lubrication and dust prevention:

Good lubrication and dustproof design can effectively reduce the frictional resistance of worm gears and worms and prevent dust and impurities from entering the meshing surface, thus prolonging their life. Commonly used lubricants include lubricating oil, grease, etc., which should be selected according to the specific working environments and conditions.

Working environment and maintenance conditions:

Harsh working environment (such as high temperature, high humidity, corrosive gases, etc.) will accelerate the wear and corrosion of the worm gear and worm, while regular maintenance and inspection can find and solve potential problems in time and extend its service life.

Service life prediction model:

Using 3D design models can help us predict and analyze the service life of worm gears and worms. By establishing 3D models, we can comprehensively consider various factors (such as material properties, heat treatment processes, meshing parameters, lubrication and dust prevention, etc.), perform finite element analysis, force analysis, tooth load capacity meshing analysis and so on, and provide a basis for design and optimization.

Experiment and verification:

After the production and assembly of the product is completed, through the simulation of the actual working conditions of the loading, running and other tests, the wear and load capacity of the worm gear slewing drive can be detected, and its service life can be evaluated and verified. At the same time, the design scheme can be adjusted and optimized according to the test results to improve the life and performance of the worm gear and worm.