1. Vibration and abnormal noise
When the concentricity of the reducer deviates, the interaction between the rotating parts becomes uneven, which will cause the equipment to produce greater vibration and noise during operation. For example, if the bevel gear of a helical gear reducer is installed with axial positioning deviation, it will lead to poor meshing, which will be manifested as a decrease in transmission efficiency and an increase in noise. Long-term vibration can also cause loosening of anchor bolts, fatigue damage to components, and even affect peripheral equipment.
2. Increased component wear and fatigue fracture
Installation misalignment will generate additional radial forces (bending moments), subjecting bearings and gears to alternating overloads and eccentric loads.
Gear damage: Eccentricity will cause the centers of rotation to not coincide, producing a radial additional force that changes direction, which is directly converted into periodic knocks between the tooth surfaces. This can damage the gear contact surfaces, causing pitting, spalling and even broken teeth.
Bearing damage: The contact stress of the bearing rolling elements on the raceway fluctuates, which can cause fatigue spalling on the raceway surface in advance; at the same time, the cage is broken or worn due to repeated forced swings, causing the bearing clearance to be out of control.
Failure of connecting parts: The connecting bolts, flat keys or splines between the coupling and the shaft end are subjected to alternating shear stress under the action of eccentricity. After long-term accumulation, the bolts will become loose or broken, the keyway will be deformed, and eventually the coupling will fall off or the input shaft of the reducer will be twisted.
3. Seal failure and oil leakage
Mounting misalignments (such as coupling eccentricity) can cause the input shaft seal lip to undergo dynamic eccentric radial displacement. If the rubber lip is repeatedly stretched and scratched, it will wear quickly and cause oil leakage. In addition, journal wear or installation deflection can also cause oil leakage from the output shaft seal.
4. Lubrication failure and overheating
The radial oscillation caused by eccentricity will cause the elastic hydrodynamic oil film originally established by rotation to be periodically squeezed, thinned or even broken, resulting in direct contact between the metal surfaces and a large amount of abrasive particles entering the lubricating oil. The lubricating oil may change from clear to black within a few hours. Due to increased friction, equipment can generate excessive heat during operation, resulting in excessive heating. If the amount of lubricating oil is reduced due to leakage and cannot effectively dissipate heat, the local high temperature will temper and soften the tooth surface, causing plastic deformation and bonding ablation.
5. Transmission failure and jamming
If the coaxiality error between the input shaft and the output shaft is too large, it will lead to uneven force and stagnation of the shaft system, which is manifested as the output shaft of the reducer being unable to rotate or the speed being significantly lower than the normal level, directly leading to transmission failure.
6. Safety hazards
Under high load conditions, problems such as vibration, wear, and overheating caused by installation deviations will lead to sudden equipment failure, and in severe cases, safety accidents may occur, especially in highly dangerous industrial sites.
To sum up, installation deviation will not only shorten the service life of the reducer and its related components, increase maintenance costs, but also seriously affect the normal operation of the entire mechanical system. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure accurate concentricity and leveling during installation and to perform regular alignment checks.
