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Gear Inspection

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To optimize the gear performance, an accurate and precise inspection of gears is a crucial factor. The maximum life of any drive train is solely dependent on proper inspection and the subsequent repair procedures. If the gears are not properly inspected it is obvious that the gear will eventually fail and easily destroy other accessories also in the drive train system. The technician who is in charge of the gear inspection should be thoroughly aware with all types of gear wear and damages.

Gear Inspection Procedure
Outlined here is a few steps that must be used in the Gear inspection process.

Before embarking on an inspection mission it is imperative that the gears are cleaned thoroughly.
Checking teeth surfaces, this can be done using marking color and tape.
A very careful inspection is to be done for the entire surface area of the gear. This is done to check pitting, spalling, cracking etc. Other than these gears are prone to other type of damages, which also need to be taken care of. Inspection is also essential for every gear tooth. As it is quite likely that only one tooth can be damaged.
The next step is a very attentive inspection of the gear bore. This is to be done with a bright light. To cite an example Planet gear bearing bores are very much sensitive to speeds and high loads. So is the need for a careful inspection.
The next step is to look at the bearing bore. The last step is a proper filling up of the gear inspection checklist. As given here.

Gear Inspection Checklist
The following is the checklist that is a must when carrying out an inspection of the gears.

Item	Yes	No
Normal wear
White Layer Flaking
Abrasive Wear
Spalling
Rippling / Lipping
Uneven Contact
Pitting / Spalling
Foreign Object Damage
Nicks
Destructive
Cracks
Chipping
Scoring
Corrosion/Corrosive Pitting
Case Crushing
Frosting
Pitting

Utility of Gear Inspection Process
A Gear inspection process commences with the routine tasks done on the shop floor and can even extend to manufacturing laboratory for carrying out a complex and analytical gear evaluation. All or some of these methods are necessary for maintaining a perfect process control and for production of parts of the required quality. Inspection in particular, can help in controlling the following:

Size of gear
Quality of gear
Fixture mounting on machine
Machine set-up
Quality of the part blank
Precision of the cutting tool
Mounting of cutting tool
Proper sharpening of the cutting tool
Heat treatment process
Condition of the equipment needed for production

Gear Checking Machine
A vital aids in the gear inspection process is the gear checking machines. They play a crucial role in any gear inspection operation. A gear checking machine among others is supposed to check the following things:

Runout
Pitch Variation
Accumulated Pitch Variation
Profile/Involute
Lead
Slope error
Tooth thickness

A Basic process to an accurate gear inspection

For a proper identification of the damaged areas during an inspection operation, a magnifying glass, a very strong and clear light source (sunlight is perfect), and a reflector made up of clean, white and non-glossy sheet of paper is to be used for best results. The white paper is able to reflect the light properly onto dark surfaces.

Tags:- Gear Inspection Checking Process, Gear Inspection Procedure

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