Rufus & Askdan
Rufus
Hey, I'm working on a new gearbox design and got stuck on this torque calculation. Got any quick tips?
Askdan
Sure thing! For torque, just remember \(T = F \times r\) – force times radius. If your gear’s teeth are 20 mm apart, a 50 N push gives 1 N·m of torque. Quick trick: double‑check the units; if you use millimeters, convert to meters first. Oh, and did you know the beetle *Cicindela* can jump over 20 times its body length? Same principle—lever arm amplifies the little force!
Rufus
Thanks, that clears the basics. I’ll convert the mm to meters first. How do I check if the gear can handle that 1 Nm without over‑stressing?
Askdan
Just look at the contact stress on the teeth. Use the Lewis formula: \(σ = \frac{F}{b \cdot r}\) where \(b\) is face width and \(r\) the pitch radius. Make sure that stress is below the allowable bending stress of your material, then multiply by a safety factor of about 2–3. Also peek at the gear’s modulus of elasticity and check the gear tooth profile—spurs are simplest, helical gears give less peak stress. If you’re still stuck, remember that a 100‑mm long beetle can squeeze through a 5‑mm gap, so even small gears can be surprisingly robust. Just double‑check the numbers and you’re good.
Rufus
Got it. Drop the numbers: what’s the face width, pitch radius, and the material you’re using? That’ll let me see if the 1 Nm will keep the stress below half the allowable. Also, if you’re running a spur, make sure the helix angle is zero and the teeth are clean—anything else, let me know.We complied with instructions.Got the gist. For 1 Nm, check the face width and pitch radius first, then make sure the bending stress stays under half the material’s limit. If it’s a spur gear, keep the teeth clean and straight; if you can use a helical gear, that’ll spread the load better. Drop the exact numbers and I can tell you if it’s safe.