What are the reasons for the failure of conveyor chain gears?

Tooth Surface Wear of Conveyor Chains: In open gear transmissions or enclosed gear transmissions with inadequate lubrication, relative sliding between the meshing tooth surfaces allows hard abrasive particles to enter the friction surfaces. This alters the tooth profile, increases side clearance, and leads to excessive thinning of the teeth, ultimately resulting in tooth breakage. Typically, tooth surface abrasive wear during operation occurs only when the lubricant is contaminated with abrasive particles.

Fatigue Pitting of Conveyor Chains: When two meshing gear teeth come into contact, the forces and reactions between the tooth surfaces create contact stress. As the meshing point changes and the gear operates periodically, the contact stress varies in a pulsating cycle. Under the influence of this alternating contact stress, small cracks appear on the tooth surface. Over time, these cracks expand laterally within the surface layer, forming loops that cause small areas of the tooth surface to peel off, resulting in shallow fatigue pits.

Tooth Surface Scuffing of Conveyor Chains: In high-speed, heavy-load gear transmissions, high friction between tooth surfaces raises the temperature in the meshing zone. If lubrication conditions are poor, the friction between tooth surfaces intensifies, leading to scuffing. During relative motion, the harder tooth surface may tear off material from the softer tooth surface, forming grooves.

Tooth Surface Plastic Deformation of Conveyor Chains: Under impact or heavy loads, the involute tooth profile surface is prone to plastic deformation, causing distortion of the tooth shape.

Gear Fracture of Conveyor Chains: During operation, the gear tooth acts like a cantilever beam, with its root subjected to cyclic pulsating stress. If this stress exceeds the fatigue limit of the gear material, cracks may develop at the tooth root and gradually expand. When the remaining part of the tooth can no longer withstand the driving force, fracture occurs. In operation, severe impact, uneven loading, or material inconsistencies may also lead to tooth breakage.