How to reduce the noise of worm gear reducer

Reducing the noise of worm gear reducers can be approached from various aspects such as design, manufacturing, installation, use, and maintenance. The following are specific measures:
Design and manufacturing aspects

Optimize gear parameters: Reasonably design the modulus, number of teeth, helix angle and other parameters of the worm gear, reduce the fluctuation of coincidence degree, lower the meshing impact force, and thus reduce noise. For example, increasing the number of teeth of the worm gear appropriately can make the meshing smoother.

Improving machining accuracy: By using high-precision machining equipment and processes, the tooth profile accuracy, tooth orientation accuracy, and surface roughness of worm gears and worms can be improved, reducing poor meshing and vibration noise caused by machining errors. Worm gears and worms processed by grinding have lower noise than those processed by milling.

Selecting suitable materials: Choose low-noise and high damping materials to manufacture worm gears, such as using high-quality alloy steel for worm gears and tin bronze for worm gears with good anti friction properties, which can effectively reduce noise.

Improved structural design: Optimize the structure of the gearbox, increase the stiffness and damping of the casing, and reduce the transmission and radiation of vibration. For example, using a reinforced structure for the box can improve its anti vibration performance.

Installation and usage aspects

Correct installation: Strictly follow the installation instructions to ensure the coaxiality and perpendicularity between the reducer, motor, and load, and avoid additional vibration and noise caused by installation errors. Generally speaking, the coaxiality deviation should be controlled within 0.05mm.

Reasonable selection: Based on the actual load and working requirements, choose the appropriate specifications and models of worm gear reducers to avoid running the reducer under overload or underload, and to avoid generating abnormal noise.

Control operating parameters: Keep the gearbox running within an appropriate speed and load range, avoiding high-speed, heavy load, or frequent start stop conditions to reduce noise. For example, for a general worm gear reducer, the speed should not exceed 1500r/min.

Adopting flexible connection: Flexible connection methods such as elastic couplings are used between the reducer, motor, and load to effectively isolate vibration and reduce noise transmission.

Lubrication and maintenance aspects

Choose the appropriate lubricant: According to the working conditions of the gearbox, select lubricating oil or grease with appropriate viscosity and performance to reduce friction and noise. For example, under high-speed and light load conditions, lubricating oil with lower viscosity can be selected.

Regular oil change: Regularly inspect and replace lubricating oil to maintain its cleanliness and good performance. Generally, change the oil every 2000-3000 hours of operation or every six months to one year to prevent noise increase caused by oil aging, pollution, and other issues.

Timely maintenance: Regularly inspect the wear of the worm gear, bearings, and other components of the reducer, replace severely worn parts in a timely manner, ensure the normal operation of the reducer, and reduce noise caused by component wear.

Cleaning components: Regularly clean the impurities and oil stains inside the reducer to prevent impurities from entering the meshing parts, causing noise and wear.