When examining different types of bevel gears, you may have come across a particular class known as a miter gear. These miter gears are unique because they focus specifically on changes in the transmission direction. Although miter gears are a type of bevel gear, their design and purpose are often misunderstood. To clarify these misconceptions and learn more about the basics of miter gears, continue reading.

What Are Miter Gears?

When seeking to understand the basics of miter gears, it is best to start with the unique design of these gears. Miter gears are a class of bevel gears where two gear axels intersect. Miter gears intersect at a 90-degree angle and create a gear ratio of 1:1. However, it is a common misconception that miter gears can increase and decrease axel rotation. Two intersecting miter gears have the same number of gear teeth, which means these gears are not able to control speed. Instead, these gears are only able to dictate direction.What Types of Equipment Use Miter Gears?

Miter gears are best used in machinery requiring heavy load capacities. The uneven number of gear teeth in mating miter gears also helps gear transmissions remain quiet and smooth during operation. These properties are some of the reasons why miter gears are most often used in vehicle transmissions.

Miter gears allow vehicle transmissions to shift and change direction smoothly without loud screeching or scraping. Miter gears may also be used in certain types of steel plant machinery; however, the primary use of this gear is automatic transmission rotation.

What Are Angular Miter Gears?

Angular miter gears are a type of miter gear that does not intersect at a 90-degree angle. Since shafts can be set to various angles, angular miter gears can be customized and designed to cross anywhere from 40 to 130 degrees. These types of miter are less common among machinery but may be designed during customized manufacturing.

Although the design for these gears may seem particular, their compatible and calculated design allows transmissions to change directions as a mechanical advantage. Without these gears, transmission rotation would be less smooth and quiet while in transition. 

At Blaz-Man Gear Inc.—Power Transmission Group, we offer the best in customized bevel gear designs. Our team of experts is knowledgeable in every type of gear manufacturing and can help businesses buy, repair, or reverse engineer machinery parts. To learn more about our gear services, browse our website for more information.