Gearboxes are devices for transmission or translation of movement. Manufactured in relatively high volumes, gearboxes are designed to meet specific multipurpose demands in applications like material handling, packaging machines and automation. Widi provides bearings for gearboxes in industry transmission.
Gearbox bearing design is typically driven by shaft speed. Low-speed shafts normally use fixed profile journal bearings, often with simple cylindrical bores. High-speed shafts have historically used multi-lobe fixed profile bearings, but are increasingly using tilting pad journal bearings.
Bevel gear units are used for a wide range of demanding applications. Challenging ambient conditions, low or high speeds, changing rotational directions and sometimes high loads require reliable products. This characteristic of the gearbox offers flexibility in design and operation.
Spur and helical gears are suitable for difficult applications such as conveyors, paper mills, extruders, continuous casting plants or harbour cranes. They need to provide reliable functionality under extreme ambient conditions, different speed conditions and sometimes high loads. This requires reliable components.
One of the major advantages of worm gear drive units is that they can transfer motion in angles < 90°. Worm gears offer a compact solution for large single stage speed reductions. In addition, operation of worm gears is usually smooth and silent as it is used in low speed and low power applications.
Planetary gear units continuously grow in economic importance. They are typically found in applications where space and weight are an issue, but a large amount of speed reduction and torque are needed. The gears often operate under very high external loads and must function reliably even in heavily contaminated environments.
The advantages of hypoid gear units derive from the larger pinion and thus the smaller circumferential force for the same torque. Hypoid gear units have a large pitch surface with multiple points of contact. They are suitable for torque-demanding applications, where they can provide reduced noise and high durability.