What is the difference in installation steps between soft tooth surface reducers and hard tooth surface reducers

Soft tooth surface reducers and hard tooth surface reducers have similar structural shapes, but their installation requirements differ significantly due to differences in materials, heat treatment processes, and operating conditions. Overall, hard toothed reducers require higher installation accuracy, especially in terms of shaft alignment, foundation levelness, and lubrication control; The installation of soft tooth surface reducers is relatively loose, but basic assembly quality still needs to be ensured to ensure stable operation.

1、 Preparation before installation: Different inspection focuses

1. Hard tooth surface reducer

Gears undergo carburizing and quenching treatment, resulting in high tooth surface hardness (>350HB), but high brittleness. Improper transportation or installation can easily cause microcracks or tooth breakage.

Before installation, it is necessary to carefully inspect the gear meshing surface for any scratches or damage, and remove the rust proof oil film.

It is necessary to verify whether the parameters such as model, transmission ratio, and center distance are consistent with the design to avoid misuse.

Higher tool requirements: It is recommended to use a laser alignment instrument (accuracy ± 0.001mm/m) instead of a regular feeler gauge for axis alignment.

2. Soft tooth surface reducer

The tooth surface hardness is relatively low (≤ 350HBS), and the material is mostly 45 steel or 40Cr. After quenching and tempering treatment, it has good toughness and strong impact resistance.

Before installation, the main inspection is to check the cleanliness of the parts and the tolerance of the fitting dimensions to ensure that there are no rust stains, burrs, or other impurities affecting the assembly.

The tool requirements are relatively simple, and conventional measuring tools such as dial gauges and feeler gauges can be used to complete alignment and adjustment.

2、 Basic installation and fixation: significant difference in precision control

3、 Axis alignment: extremely strict requirements for hard tooth surfaces

1. Hard tooth surface gear reducer

The coaxiality error between the input shaft and the motor shaft should be ≤ 0.05mm, and the parallelism deviation of the end face should be ≤ 0.03mm.

Laser alignment must be used for dynamic calibration of the instrument to avoid operational eccentricity caused by thermal expansion or vibration.

The coupling bolts should be tightened symmetrically and evenly to prevent the flange surface from twisting.

2. Soft tooth surface gear reducer

The allowable error for coaxiality is generally 0.1~0.2mm, which can be measured and adjusted using a dial gauge.

The installation requirements for elastic couplings are relatively low, and they can adapt to a certain range of axial and angular deviations.

4、 Gear and bearing assembly: different process flow

1. Hard tooth surface

Gears are usually machined by grinding, with an accuracy of ISO level 6 or higher, and forced tapping installation is prohibited.

Precision rolling bearings are commonly used for bearings, and the heating temperature is controlled at 80-100 ° C for hot installation to avoid deformation of the inner ring.

After installation, the input shaft needs to be manually rotated to check for flexibility and no jamming, otherwise it may affect the gear meshing state.

2. Soft tooth surface

Gears are hardened and tempered after hobbing or gear shaping, with low precision requirements, and minor repair is allowed.

The bearing assembly is often carried out using the hot installation method, and the heating temperature is also controlled at 80-100 ° C.

After assembly, preliminary inspection of gear contact spots and backlash can be carried out through trial operation.