A worm gear refers to any gear that is the form of a screw. Made of a variety of materials including plastic, stainless steel, or brass, these gears are available in a variety of sizes. And while the workings of these important mechanical devices is integral to the operation of many kinds of machines, the worm gear is often out of sight because it is safely enclosed in an industrial gearbox.
Gearboxes are a part of almost any kind of mechanism that has moving parts. It should come as no surprise then that automatic gearbox repair is a frequent task of many machine shops across the country. Requiring everything from shaft and bearing replacement to plate rolling, machine services shops are able to repair or rebuild almost any product.
Deciding which machine shop to use for automatic gearbox repair can be complicated though because so many different machine shops can perform the same jobs. Finding the best machine shop for the job, however, is key to many businesses who need to have repairs made both quickly and affordably.
Although some small business owners use gearbox rebuild guides and gearbox rebuild kits to complete their own work, larger industries often decide to have their own in house machine shops or to outsource the automatic gearbox repairs that they need.
What Are the Most Common Signs That a Gearbox Is in Need of Repair?
Understanding when to take a gearbox in for repair is key to keeping many plants productive and efficient. The four most common signs that a gearbox is in need of repair include:

• excessive noise
• vibration
• fluid leaks
• oil contamination

Any or all of these common indicators may be the result of leaky seals, bearing failure, or electrical fluting, a condition that occurs when a current is passed through the motor bearing instead of the intended grounded source. Finding the exact cause and fix for these common problems, however, often involves extensive knowledge gearbox components.
Six years ago, the United States exported 42.7 million in industrial machines. That 201 statistic is an indicator of the domination that industrial parts have in this country’s economy. In 2012, machinery manufacturing shipments totaled $407.4 billion, representing 7.1% of all manufacturing shipments. In many of these exports and shipments, understanding the basic components of worm gears and gearbox repair is essential.