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Plastic Gears and Small Precision Parts

We are not an injection molder that makes gears. We are a gear manufacturer that employs innovative injection molding technology to manufacture precision plastic gears. And we use our gearing design, tooling manufacturing and injection molding technology to provide our customers with complementary precision motion control elements -- such as pulleys, bearings and sprockets.

And we walk with you during each step of the precision gear train design. We can lend a hand with gear train review for longer life, improved efficiency and lower wear. We offer gear mesh analysis, material selection and creative designs to reduce cost.

And when you are ready, we plan for your success. Our team works with you to provide precise prototype parts, production tooling and parts. We draw on our experience in the manufacture of over 10,000 injection molds for gears – plus a rich database of resin performance in every conceivable gear tooth configuration.

The results are quantifiable. Our record is clear. We ensure repeatability and consistent quality throughout each production run. Hundreds of satisfied customers and millions of gears demonstrate our belief: The best gear for any application is the least expensive one that will do the required job.

Material selection and control

The type of material has a huge influence on gear quality. The use of nylon and acetal has a long established history for use in plastic gears. The dimensional quality of a gear is directly influenced by the lot to lot consistency and the processing characteristics of the raw material. Gear molders have the most experience in predicting shrinkage and processing with these materials. At ABA-PGT, we are also capable of manufacturing gears using high heat engineered materials such as PEEK and PPS.

Material quality

The use of known resins from well-known suppliers has several advantages. Some are strictly business advantages, such as volume pricing, design support, and technical support during trial molding and cooperation on research and development. However, the major effect on quality is lot to lot variation. Studies on gears, using equivalent materials -- from two different suppliers, have resulted in a quantifiable dimensional difference.

Pre-molding treatment of materials

Hygroscopic resins -- such as nylons - need to be dried prior to molding. If not, the result can be surface defects such as splay marks, bubbles and blistering. These can destroy the smooth surface of a gear -- increasing the friction and potential for wear. However, it is important to control the process. Over drying a hygroscopic material can further polymerize the material by reverse hydrolysis, which increases the length of the polymer chains and its molecular weight. The molding of high quality gears requires materials to be free of contaminants. This requires rigorous control of the storage of raw materials. The use of a closed loop delivery system reduces problems with contaminants and the possibility for operator error.

ABA-PGT Plastic Gear Design Engineering, Injection Molding and Manufacturing services are frequently used for a variety of applications, including appliance, automotive, electric motors, HVAC, irrigation, medical and surgical instruments, printers, OEM captive molders, architectural / building / construction, batteries and more.

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