Worm Gear Drives with Improved Kinematic Accuracy
This paper presents the fundamentals of the design and applications of new worm gear drive solutions, which enable the minimisation of backlash and are characterised by higher kinematic accuracy. Different types of worm surfaces are briefly outlined. Technological problems concerning the principles...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Materials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/24/7825 |
| _version_ | 1797502638183415808 |
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| author | Wojciech Kacalak Maciej Majewski Zbigniew Budniak Jacek Ponomarenkow |
| author_facet | Wojciech Kacalak Maciej Majewski Zbigniew Budniak Jacek Ponomarenkow |
| author_sort | Wojciech Kacalak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper presents the fundamentals of the design and applications of new worm gear drive solutions, which enable the minimisation of backlash and are characterised by higher kinematic accuracy. Different types of worm surfaces are briefly outlined. Technological problems concerning the principles of achieving a high degree of precision in machining are also described. Special attention is paid to the shaping of conical helical surfaces. Increasing the manufacturing precision of drive components allows one to achieve both lower backlash values and lower levels of its dispersion. However, this does not ensure that backlash can be eliminated, with its value being kept low during longer periods of operation. This is important in positioning systems and during recurrent operations. Various design solutions for drives in which it is possible to reduce backlash are presented. Results of experiments of a worm gear drive with a worm axially adaptive only locally, in its central section, are presented. In this solution, it is possible to reduce backlash by introducing adjustment settings without disassembling the drive. An important scientific problem concerned defining the principles of achieving a compromise between the effectiveness of reducing backlash and the required load capacity of the drive. In this paper it has been shown that in worm gear drives with a locally axially adaptive worm, as well as with a worm wheel with a deformable rim, it is possible to achieve significant reduction of backlash. In high precision drives—for example, those with an average backlash value of <15 micrometers—this can enable more than a two-fold reduction of the average backlash value and more than a three-fold decrease of the standard deviation of local backlash values. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:38:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4cbe0fe0e43141dd8aba0a3b7a5abb41 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:38:59Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-4cbe0fe0e43141dd8aba0a3b7a5abb412023-11-23T09:23:35ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442021-12-011424782510.3390/ma14247825Worm Gear Drives with Improved Kinematic AccuracyWojciech Kacalak0Maciej Majewski1Zbigniew Budniak2Jacek Ponomarenkow3Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, Racławicka 15-17, 75-620 Koszalin, PolandFaculty of Mechanical Engineering and Ship Technology, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, PolandFaculty of Mechanical Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, Racławicka 15-17, 75-620 Koszalin, PolandFaculty of Mechanical Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, Racławicka 15-17, 75-620 Koszalin, PolandThis paper presents the fundamentals of the design and applications of new worm gear drive solutions, which enable the minimisation of backlash and are characterised by higher kinematic accuracy. Different types of worm surfaces are briefly outlined. Technological problems concerning the principles of achieving a high degree of precision in machining are also described. Special attention is paid to the shaping of conical helical surfaces. Increasing the manufacturing precision of drive components allows one to achieve both lower backlash values and lower levels of its dispersion. However, this does not ensure that backlash can be eliminated, with its value being kept low during longer periods of operation. This is important in positioning systems and during recurrent operations. Various design solutions for drives in which it is possible to reduce backlash are presented. Results of experiments of a worm gear drive with a worm axially adaptive only locally, in its central section, are presented. In this solution, it is possible to reduce backlash by introducing adjustment settings without disassembling the drive. An important scientific problem concerned defining the principles of achieving a compromise between the effectiveness of reducing backlash and the required load capacity of the drive. In this paper it has been shown that in worm gear drives with a locally axially adaptive worm, as well as with a worm wheel with a deformable rim, it is possible to achieve significant reduction of backlash. In high precision drives—for example, those with an average backlash value of <15 micrometers—this can enable more than a two-fold reduction of the average backlash value and more than a three-fold decrease of the standard deviation of local backlash values.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/24/7825worm gear drivesbacklash eliminationworm wheelswormskinematic accuracymechanical design |
| spellingShingle | Wojciech Kacalak Maciej Majewski Zbigniew Budniak Jacek Ponomarenkow Worm Gear Drives with Improved Kinematic Accuracy Materials worm gear drives backlash elimination worm wheels worms kinematic accuracy mechanical design |
| title | Worm Gear Drives with Improved Kinematic Accuracy |
| title_full | Worm Gear Drives with Improved Kinematic Accuracy |
| title_fullStr | Worm Gear Drives with Improved Kinematic Accuracy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Worm Gear Drives with Improved Kinematic Accuracy |
| title_short | Worm Gear Drives with Improved Kinematic Accuracy |
| title_sort | worm gear drives with improved kinematic accuracy |
| topic | worm gear drives backlash elimination worm wheels worms kinematic accuracy mechanical design |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/24/7825 |
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