Product category:
Materials and components
News Release from: Victrex USA | Subject: Victrex Peek
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 08 February 2005
German manufacturer puts polymer into
gear
Harmonic Drive, a German-based manufacturer of precision gears and drives, chose Victrex Peek for the bearing cages of its HD gear units because of the polymer's superior combination of properties.
Harmonic Drive, a German-based manufacturer of precision gears and drives, chose Victrex Peek for the bearing cages of its Harmonic Drive (HD) gear units because of the polymer's superior combination of properties HD gears are engineered for highly demanding applications in aerospace and defence
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 31 Dec 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Their extreme light weight and compact design sets them apart from traditional planetary and helical gears.
Depending on the design, HD gears have a transmission ratio between 30:1 and 320:1 and a torque of 0.5 to 9000Nm with single-step gearing.
Backlash and maintenance free, they can be used over a wide temperature range and offer high repeatability and torque capacity.
According to Andrew Ragan, Victrex Global Leader, bearing cages have to withstand operating temperatures of -55 to +150C and be noncorroding and lubricant-friendly.
Because of the way the gear operates, the bearing cages are not tightly guided, which means that very high sudden impact stress is generated.
The cage also suffers constant elliptical deformation during operation.
Victrex Peek has a continuous service temperature of 260C, as well as excellent characteristics at subzero temperatures.
It has very good chemical resistance and is compatible with almost all the lubricants and fluids used in the aerospace industry.
In addition, its outstanding sliding friction properties as well as high strength significantly extend the life of the bearings cages.
Low outgassing is an important requirement for space applications.
"Precipitation on the sensitive electronics and optics could have serious consequences", explains Ragan.
"Victrex Peek has very low levels of ionic extractables, which is why it is often used in semiconductor production".
Aerospace applications include actuators for solar panels, antenna orientation systems, opening mechanisms and manipulator arms.
The drives for exploration robots (Lunar Rover, Mars Pathfinder, Odyssey etc) are also based on HD gears.
HD gears are also used in passenger aircraft as sensors for reporting the position of the landing flaps and in active vibration dampers which reduce structural noise in the rear cabin section.
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