The Valve Gears Buyers Guide: Understanding Different Valve Gears Types

It can prove challenging figuring out the right valve gear for the job. You may also hear people refer to a valve gear as a gearbox. It’s an enclosed industrial system. The system transmits mechanical energy to an external device.

With a valve gear, you can modify the speed, torque, and other attributes of energy. You can then use that energy to turn it into a usable force.

Today, companies use valve gears for a variety of purposes. You’ll even find valve gears in today’s mighty industrial robots.

Keep reading for a valve gears buyers guide.

Valve Gears Across Time

Today’s valve gears are high-tech components. However, they’ve been around for a very long time. Throughout the history of civilization, people have used valve gears for many purposes.

All valve gears operate using a source of motion or force. They then combine that force with intermediate gearing.

Over time, inventors and engineers have created valve gear functions that result in the output of desired motion and force. In doing so, they created valve gears to perform many tasks. Today, valve gears perform different functions depending on the manufacturer.

Inventors created the first valve gears as far back as 150 to 150 BC. It was an intricate device used to calculate astronomical positions.

Around 200 to 265 A.D., inventors in China created a form of valve gear. It served as the differential for chariots. Later, in 275 A.D., inventors created the first valve gears used in mechanical clocks.

Between 770 and 1044 A.D., industrial mills began emerging in medieval Europe. Mills that produced grist, flax, salt, and cotton all employed valve gears. They used water, wind, or animals to provide the force needed to power the mechanisms.

In 1802, engineers designed valve gears for use in locomotives. Later, in 1835, valve gears started to resemble the kinds of devices that we see in use today.

In that year, an English inventor patented a process for cutting gear teeth. Since the days of the roaring locomotive, valve gears have advanced greatly.

Various Valve Gear Types

Today, companies use valve gears for a wide variety of devices and purposes. For example, companies can use valve gears to slow the rate of rotation and increase torque and speed.

There are many types of valve gears. For example, a helical valve gear is small and requires little power for operation. The device is used in many industries; however, it’s typically used for heavy-duty applications.

A coaxial helical in-line valve gear is another device used for heavy-duty purposes. However, they’re manufactured to exacting standards. This construction enables operators to maximize transmission and load ratios.

A beveled helical valve gear has curved teeth located on a cone-shaped surface. The gears sit on the rim of the unit.

Typically, operators use a bevel helical valve gear to provide rotary motion between non-parallel shafts. For example, you’ll often see a bevel helical valve gear deployed for quarries, mining, and other conveyor applications.

Meanwhile, a skew bevel helical valve gear is large and rigid. When paired with the right motor shaft output, it offers distinct advantages for industrial applications.

Operators use a worm valve gear when they need to increase speed reduction between cross axes that do not intersect. The device operates in a screw-like motion, hence its name. Usually, you’ll see this kind of valve gear used by companies that work with fertilizer, chemicals, or minerals.

Finally, a planetary valve gear is known for its accuracy and endurance. Operators use this kind of valve gear to increase the lifespan of equipment and optimize power output.

Technical Considerations for Valve Gears

When selecting a valve gear for your application, there are a few things that you need to consider. Various valve gears have inbuilt properties. Manufacturers address these properties in different ways.

One property that you need to consider is the backlash. Backlash is a common characteristic of all valve gears.

With new valve gears, backlash results from the fabrication process. With existing valve gears, however, it results from wear. You’d assess backlash by measuring the difference in tooth space between mating gears.

Self-locking ability is another capability of valve gears. This characteristic is the inability to transfer force from the rotational output end of the valve gear.

With each kind of valve gear, however, you need to calculate operational efficiency. Operational efficiency equals the output torque divided by the input torque.

For example, imagine a valve gear that uses two gears. The first gear is smaller in diameter.

For this reason, the valve gear creates a high transmission force. The force equals the input torque divided by the gear pitch radius: the smaller the radius, the more force the valve gear outputs.

Choosing the Right Valve Gear

Of course, you need to choose the right valve gear for your application. Various industries have different specifications. These specifications ensure that valve gears meet a required standard of quality to serve a particular sector.

For example, a worm valve gear made of ductile iron or alloy bronze may seem like a cost-effective purchase. For certain heavy-duty applications, however, these materials may increase maintenance costs and downtime.

Alternatively, an alloy bronze worm valve gear is ideal for applications that require substantial corrosion resistance. In this scenario, the valve gear will last considerably longer than a unit made using other materials. As a buyer, it’s important to understand the exact specifications that you need to deploy a valve gear successfully.

These are just a few things that you might consider when buying valve gears. There are myriad points to consider when making your purchase. However, an expert supplier can help you make the right choice.

A Trusted Industrial Partner for Flow Control

Now you know more about important considerations when buying a valve gear. What you need now is an expert in flow control who can help you make the perfect selection.

Anything Flows is a leading industrial supplier of reliable solutions for flow control. We’re the top supplier for applications in oil and gas, mining, power generation, marine and food, and specialty industrial processes. Furthermore, we specialize in delivering expedited industrial solutions.

Contact an Anything Flows representative today at (832) 987-3494 or connect with us online to experience the best service and quality available in the industrial flow control market.