Product Category
China Worm Gear Factory · Bronze + Steel
WRM / 001 — 003
Custom Worm Gears
Bronze, Steel & Stainless
Precision worm gears and worm wheel gears in phosphor bronze, aluminum bronze, cast iron, stainless steel, and engineering plastics. Axial module 1–20, lead angles 1°–30°, single & multi-start, right or left hand — always paired with the matching worm shaft for a complete, backlash-checked worm gear set. OEM & wholesale customized worm gear machining direct from our China factory.
±0.008mm
Tooth Tolerance
M 1–20
Module Range
1–8 Start
Thread Starts
PART DWG · WRM-000 WORM GEAR SET
ISO 9001 : 2015
PB2 Bronze · DIN 8
Lead Angle 5°
Backlash Verified
Bronze · Stainless · POM
Wheel Materials
Hob · Grind · Lap
Process
48hr Quote · MOQ 1
Response
±0.008mm
Tooth Profile Tolerance
DIN 7 achievable
DIN 7 achievable
M 1–20
Module Range
any lead angle
any lead angle
Self-lock
Available
lead angle < 5°
lead angle < 5°
7 Days
Fastest Lead Time
bronze worm wheel
bronze worm wheel
Our Work
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Worm Gears We've Made
Bronze, brass, stainless, cast iron, and plastic worm gear sets for industrial reducers, lifting equipment, valve actuators, and automation — wholesale and OEM orders shipped from our China factory worldwide.
Configurations
Worm Gear Types We Manufacture
Single-start, multi-start, self-locking, anti-backlash, high-efficiency, bronze wheel + steel worm sets, right-hand or left-hand, plus dedicated worm gear shafts — any worm drive gear configuration your design calls for.
Single-Start Worm Gears
The standard worm drive gear configuration — one thread on the worm screw, ratios from 20:1 to 100:1 in a single stage. Naturally self-locking at low lead angles. Ideal for high-ratio reducers, lifting equipment, and valve actuators.
High RatioSelf-Lock
Multi-Start Worm Gears (2 / 4 / 8 Start)
Double-start, 4-start, and 8-start worm shafts for higher efficiency (80–93%) and lower ratios. Each additional start increases the lead angle. The choice for high-efficiency worm gear drives in machine tools, antenna positioners, and continuous-duty industrial reducers.
High Efficiency2–8 Start
Self-Locking Worm Gears
Worm gear sets with lead angle below 5°, where friction prevents the worm wheel from back-driving the worm. The self-locking worm gear ratio holds load without a brake — essential for hoists, gate actuators, jacks, and safety-critical lifting drives.
No Brake NeededHoist / Lift
Non-Self-Locking Worm Gears
Worm gear sets with lead angle above 8° — back-drivable from the worm wheel side. Used where the load must be lowered under control (servo positioners, robotics, regen drives), or where bidirectional drive is required.
Back-DrivableBi-directional
Anti-Backlash & Zero-Backlash Worm Gears
Split spring-loaded wheel designs or duplex worm sets (two slightly different leads) achieving near-zero worm gear backlash. For high-precision positioning — telescope mounts, antenna azimuth drives, indexing tables, and surgical robotics.
DuplexPositioning
Bronze Wheel + Steel Worm Sets (Classic Pair)
The textbook worm gear set: bronze worm wheel + hardened steel worm. Bronze conforms and self-lubricates, steel provides the hard thread surface. The proven worm gear set bronze wheel steel worm combination supplied as a matched pair, always run-in and backlash-checked before shipment.
Matched PairClassic
Right-Hand & Left-Hand Worm Gears
Worm gears are produced in both hands — right-hand (default, thread spirals clockwise viewed from worm shaft end) and left-hand. Hand affects the direction of axial thrust on the worm. Specify hand on your drawing; both worm and wheel hands must match.
RH / LHThrust Direction
Worm Gear Shafts (Worm Screws)
Integrated worm gear shaft — the worm thread machined directly on a finished shaft with bearing journals, keyways, and shaft ends. Customized steel worm gear shaft in 42CrMo4 or 20CrMnTi, induction-hardened and ground. Supplied alone or matched with a worm wheel.
Hardened ShaftCustom
Technical Specs
Worm Gear Manufacturing Capabilities
Hobbing produces worm wheel gears rapidly; CNC worm wheel gear grinding achieves DIN 6 accuracy on the wheel tooth flanks; lapping verifies the contact pattern. Every worm gear set is supplied with the matching worm shaft. Customized worm gear machining services from prototype to wholesale volumes.
Worm Wheel Gear Hobbing & Worm Shaft CNC Cutting
| Axial module | 1 – 20 mm |
| Max OD (wheel) | 800 mm |
| Lead angle | 1° – 30° |
| Thread starts | 1 – 8 (single to multi-start) |
| Quality grade | DIN 7–9 |
| Profile tolerance | ±0.010 mm |
| Self-locking | Yes — lead angle < 5° |
| Worm shaft machining | 42CrMo4 / 20CrMnTi, ground |
| Lead time | 7 – 14 days |
Precision Ground & Lapped Worm Gear Sets (DIN 6)
| Axial module | 1 – 12 mm |
| Max OD (wheel) | 400 mm |
| Quality grade | DIN 6 |
| Profile tolerance | ±0.006 mm |
| Surface finish Ra | 0.4 µm (tooth flank) |
| Lapping | Yes — contact pattern verified |
| Backlash check | Per DIN 3967 |
| Process | Hob → harden → grind → lap |
| Lead time | 12 – 20 days |
Materials
50+ Certified Worm Gear Materials
Full mill certificates and spectral analysis on every batch — phosphor bronze, aluminum bronze, cast iron, stainless, steel, brass, and engineering plastics for any worm gear pair.
Metals
Engineering Plastics
Phosphor Bronze PB2 ⭐
The default worm wheel material. Phosphor bronze worm gears self-lubricate, conform progressively to the steel worm thread, and dissipate heat well. Standard for the classic bronze worm wheel gear + steel worm gear set.
Worm Wheel DefaultSelf-Lubricating
Aluminum Bronze AB2
Higher strength than PB2 — aluminum bronze worm gears for high-load, low-speed, or marine applications. Better corrosion resistance, used for hoist drives and ship steering gear.
High LoadMarine
Cast Iron HT300
Economical cast iron worm gear for low-cost industrial reducers and agricultural machinery. Lower load capacity than bronze but adequate for non-critical, low-cycle drives.
EconomicalConveyor
42CrMo4 Alloy Steel
Induction-hardened, HRC 52–58. The default alloy steel worm gear shaft material — hardened thread surface mates with a bronze wheel for low wear and long service life.
Worm ShaftInduction-HT
20CrMnTi Steel
Case-carburized worm gear shaft, HRC 58–62 surface, tough core. Premium worm shaft material for high-torque automotive and aerospace worm drives.
High TorqueCase-HT
SUS304 / 316L Stainless
Stainless steel worm gear pair — food-grade, pharma, marine, cleanroom. The stainless steel worm gear shaft + matching stainless or bronze wheel for fully washdown-rated drives.
Food / PharmaMarine
C36000 Brass
Free-machining brass worm gear for small precision drives, clocks, instruments, and miniature actuators. Lower load capacity than phosphor bronze but easier to machine in small sizes.
MiniatureInstrument
Reference
Worm Gear Standard Specifications
Axial module, lead angle, ratio, tooth profile — the standard worm gear specifications every drawing should define. A working reference for engineers preparing CAD, RFQs, and worm gear set quotations.
📏Axial Module of Worm Gear (Metric)
For worm gears, the axial module (mₓ) measured along the worm axis is the standard parameter — different from the normal module (perpendicular to the worm thread) by the cosine of the lead angle. Standard worm gear module series:
| Axial Module mₓ | Centre Distance Class | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1, 1.25, 1.5, 2 | 40 – 80 mm | Small actuators, instruments, plastic worm |
| 2.5, 3, 4, 5 | 80 – 160 mm | Standard industrial reducers |
| 6, 8, 10 | 160 – 280 mm | Lifting equipment, conveyor drives |
| 12, 16, 20 | 280 – 500 mm | Heavy industrial, marine, mining |
∠Lead Angle in Worm Gear & Self-Locking
The lead angle (λ) determines efficiency, self-locking behaviour, and number of starts. Critical threshold: lead angle < friction angle (~5°) = self-locking; above = back-drivable:
| Lead Angle λ | Starts (typical) | Behaviour |
|---|---|---|
| 1° – 3° | Single-start | Strongly self-locking, efficiency 30–50% |
| 4° – 6° | Single-start | Marginally self-locking, efficiency 50–65% |
| 8° – 15° | 2-start | Non-self-locking, efficiency 70–85% |
| 20° – 30°+ | 4 / 8-start | High-efficiency, efficiency 85–93% |
🔢Worm Gear Ratio Calculation
The worm gear ratio depends on wheel tooth count and number of worm starts — not on diameter (unlike spur or bevel gears):
i = z₂ / z₁ (z₂ = wheel teeth, z₁ = worm starts)
Example: 36-tooth wheel + single-start worm = 36:1 ratio. Same wheel + 4-start worm = 9:1 ratio. Single-stage worm gear ratios from 5:1 to 100:1 are practical; above 100:1 the wheel becomes very large.
🦷Worm Gear Tooth Profile & Contact
Worm gear tooth profile is defined by axial pressure angle (typically 20°) and the tooth flank curvature, which envelopes the worm thread. The worm gear tooth contact pattern is verified by lapping with marking compound:
| Parameter | Standard Value |
|---|---|
| Worm gear tooth angle (PA) | 20° (axial) |
| Tooth flank form | Envelope of worm thread |
| Contact pattern target | Central, 60–70% face width |
| Worm gear tooth flanks | Ra ≤ 0.4 µm (DIN 6) |
ƒKey Worm Gear Formulas
Centre distance between worm shaft and wheel shaft:
a = (d₁ + d₂) / 2 (d₁ = worm pitch dia, d₂ = wheel pitch dia)
Worm wheel pitch diameter: d₂ = mₓ × z₂. Lead: L = mₓ × π × z₁ (z₁ = starts). Lead angle: tan λ = L / (π × d₁).
tan λ = z₁ × mₓ / d₁ (always check self-locking threshold)
⚙️Worm Gear Manufacturing Process
The standard manufacturing of worm gear sets at HXC follows this sequence — every worm gear set passes through the same disciplined process:
| 1. Blank prep | Bronze casting / forged steel blank turned to size |
| 2. Worm wheel hobbing | CNC hob generates tooth profile |
| 3. Worm shaft cutting | CNC threading / hobbing of worm thread |
| 4. Heat treatment | Worm shaft induction-hardened, ground |
| 5. Lapping | Worm + wheel run-in together, pattern verified |
| 6. Backlash check | Measured per DIN 3967, recorded per set |
| 7. Inspection & pack | CMM report, matched as one set, shipped |
Why HXC
Why Choose HXC as Your Worm Gear Manufacturer
A China worm gear factory with in-house bronze casting, worm shaft hobbing, CNC worm wheel gear grinding, and full set lapping — direct factory pricing, customized worm gear quotation in 48 hours, OEM & wholesale.
🏭
China Worm Gear Factory in Dongguan
Our HXC worm gear factory in Dongguan, China handles bronze casting, worm shaft machining, worm wheel hobbing, CNC worm wheel gear grinding, and full lapping in one facility. Made in China since 2008, exporting to 35+ countries as a direct worm gear manufacturer in China — not a trading agent.
💬
Customized Quotation & OEM Service
Send your drawing — we return a customized worm gear quotation covering material, lead angle, process, lead time, and unit price. Full OEM worm gear and wheel program available with private labeling, custom packaging, and dedicated production lines. No salesman markup, no middleman.
🥉
Bronze Wheel + Steel Worm Specialist
Most worm gear suppliers buy bronze blanks externally and outsource grinding. We don't. In-house phosphor bronze, aluminum bronze, and cast iron casting plus worm shaft hobbing and induction hardening — the full classic worm gear set bronze wheel + steel worm chain under one roof.
📦
Wholesale Worm Gear Sets — All Materials
Wholesale bronze worm gears, wholesale brass worm gears, wholesale nylon worm gear sets, plus wholesale worm shaft and worm gear pairs — direct factory pricing on volumes from 100 to 50,000 sets. Standard catalogue items and customized worm gearing both supported.
🔧
Worm Gear Shaft Specialist
As a dedicated worm gear shaft manufacturer and supplier — single-start, multi-start, right-hand or left-hand, customized steel worm gear shafts in 42CrMo4 / 20CrMnTi / stainless. China worm gear shaft factory direct: prototype 1 pc to wholesale 10,000 pcs.
🎯
CNC Worm Wheel Gear Grinding (DIN 6 In-House)
CNC worm wheel gear grinding capability that most china worm wheel gear manufacturer competitors don't have — DIN 6 precision on the wheel tooth flanks, achieved by post-hardening profile grinding. Required for high-efficiency worm gear and precision worm gear sets in robotics and aerospace.
Case Studies
Real Worm Gear Projects
Bronze, stainless, and self-locking worm gear sets — verified projects from our China factory customers.
Industrial
Bronze Worm Gear — Industrial Reducer
Material
PB2 Bronze
Module / Z
M5 / Z40
Qty
800 pcs
Lead Time
10 days
✓ DIN 8 · Full set with matched worm shaft · Zero run-in complaints
Food Industry
Stainless Worm Gear — Mixing Drive
Material
SUS316L
Module / Z
M3 / Z50
Treatment
Passivated
Qty
100 sets
✓ Food-grade certified · 18 months in service without corrosion
Lifting Equipment
Self-locking Worm Set — Hoist Drive
Material
42CrMo4 / PB2
Lead Angle
3°
Self-lock
Yes
Qty
50 sets
✓ Holds load without brake · Load-tested before shipment
How It Works
From Drawing to Your Door
Upload your worm gear drawing with module, tooth count, lead angle, thread starts, hand, and centre distance — we supply the complete worm gear set from our China factory.
01
Upload Drawing
Include axial module, Z, lead angle, starts, hand (RH/LH), centre distance, and pressure angle.
02
Customized Quotation in 48 Hours
Manufacturer quotation direct from our engineering team — material, hobbing vs grinding, lead time, OEM & wholesale pricing options.
03
Production & QC
Worm shaft turning + grinding, worm wheel hobbing, lapping, contact pattern + backlash check on every set.
04
Ship Worldwide from China
Worm gear set packed together as matched pair. Full inspection report. DHL / FedEx / sea freight.
Reviews
Trusted China Worm Gear Manufacturer
★★★★★
"800 bronze worm gear sets for our worm reducer programme. Profile accuracy met DIN 8, backlash within spec on every set. Lead time 10 days — impressive for this volume."
BM
Bernard M.
Gearbox Design Engineer · France
★★★★★
"SUS316L stainless worm gears for a pharmaceutical mixing drive. Passivated, FDA material certs supplied, zero contamination issues in 18 months of service."
SK
Sabine K.
Process Engineer · Germany
★★★★★
"Self-locking worm sets for our overhead hoist. HXC confirmed the lead angle calculation, load-tested each set before shipment. Performance exactly as calculated."
CH
Carlos H.
Mechanical Engineer · Spain
FAQ
Worm Gear — FAQ
Common questions about worm gears, worm wheel materials, efficiency, and self-locking.
A worm gear (worm wheel) is the driven element in a worm gear set, meshing with a cylindrical worm screw on non-intersecting, perpendicular shafts. The worm has one or more helical threads; the worm gear has curved teeth that envelope the worm. A single-stage worm gear pair achieves ratios from 5:1 to 100:1, making it one of the most compact high-ratio drive options. The trade-off is lower efficiency (50–90%) and heat generation at high sliding velocities.
Phosphor bronze (PB2) is the standard worm wheel material because of its excellent anti-friction properties against hardened steel. The bronze is slightly softer than the worm — it runs in progressively, conforming to the worm thread profile and distributing contact load. Bronze also has self-lubricating qualities, good corrosion resistance, and high thermal conductivity to dissipate the heat generated by worm gear sliding. For high-load or marine applications, aluminium bronze (AB2) offers higher strength.
A worm gear set is self-locking when the lead angle is less than the friction angle — typically below 5°. At this condition, the reaction force on the worm thread is directed into the flank more than along the helix, so friction prevents the worm wheel from back-driving the worm. Self-locking worm gear sets are used in lifting equipment, gate actuators, and safety brakes where the load must be held without an external brake. Efficiency is typically 30–50% when self-locking — the efficiency loss is the price of the locking property.
Worm gears transmit power between non-intersecting perpendicular shafts (crossed axes), achieving high ratios in a single stage but with significant sliding friction. Helical gears transmit power between parallel shafts, are highly efficient (97–99%), fully reversible, and limited to moderate ratios per stage. A helical-worm gearbox combines both stages: a helical input stage for efficiency plus a worm output stage for high ratio — improving overall efficiency vs a pure worm reducer.
A multi-start worm has 2, 4, or more thread starts on the worm shaft. Each additional start increases the lead angle, increasing efficiency and velocity ratio (speed ratio = number of starts ÷ worm wheel tooth count). A 4-start worm with 40-tooth wheel gives a 10:1 ratio — compared to 40:1 with a 1-start worm of the same module. Multi-start worm gear sets achieve efficiency up to 90%+ and are used where both high ratio and reasonable efficiency are required, such as machine tool worm drives and antenna azimuth drives.
Worm gear heat generation is a fundamental consequence of sliding friction between worm and wheel. Management strategies: (1) Higher quality grade (DIN 6 ground flanks reduce friction). (2) Correct lubricant viscosity — ISO VG 220–460 worm gear oil with EP additives. (3) Adequate oil bath level — worm gear reducers are always oil-bath lubricated, not grease. (4) External cooling for continuous high-load operation — cooling fins or a heat exchanger. (5) Multi-start worm for higher efficiency. For continuous-duty high-load drives, check that the thermal power limit of the gearbox is not exceeded.
Worm gear efficiency depends primarily on lead angle (more starts = higher lead angle = higher efficiency): Single-start 1°–3°: 30–50%. Single-start 5°: ~55%. 2-start ~10°: 70–80%. 4-start ~20°: 85–90%. 8-start ~35°: 90–93%. Efficiency also improves with higher quality grade, correct lubrication, lower viscosity at operating temperature, and smooth surface finish on the worm thread. For continuous-duty drives where heat is a concern, 4-start worm sets with DIN 6 precision are recommended.
Worm gears require worm gear oil — not standard gear oil or grease. The extreme sliding contact on worm tooth flanks requires high-viscosity oil (ISO VG 220–460) with EP additives and anti-wear, anti-scuff, and oxidation-inhibitor packages. For food-grade applications (pharmaceutical, dairy): NSF H1 registered worm gear oil. For stainless worm gears in chemical applications: synthetic PFPE oil compatible with the process fluid. Plastic worm gears (POM, Nylon) can run dry in light-duty applications.
Whether a worm gear set can be back-driven (wheel driving the worm) depends on the lead angle vs friction angle. Lead angle > friction angle (typically > 5–8°): back-drivable. Lead angle < friction angle: self-locking. In practice, the friction angle depends on surface finish, lubrication, and material — a nominally self-locking set may back-drive under vibration. For reliable non-back-driving applications (lifting, safety-critical), use a worm set with lead angle < 3° confirmed by static load testing.
The centre distance is the distance between the worm shaft axis and the worm wheel shaft axis. For a standard worm gear set: C = (d₁ + d₂) / 2, where d₁ is the worm pitch diameter and d₂ is the wheel pitch diameter. Standard worm gear sets are designed to a specified centre distance — changing the centre distance changes backlash and contact pattern significantly. Specify the required centre distance on your drawing; HXC designs the worm and wheel to match your centre distance exactly.
For worm gears, the axial module (m_x) is measured in the axial plane of the worm and is the standard parameter used in drawings. The normal module (m_n) is measured perpendicular to the worm thread and differs from the axial module by the cosine of the lead angle. Most catalogue worm gear sets use axial module as the primary parameter. Specify axial module, number of worm thread starts, and worm wheel tooth count — HXC calculates all other geometry from these inputs.
Prototype worm wheel (hobbed, unhardened): 5–8 days. Production batch (bronze worm wheel + matched steel worm shaft): 7–14 days. Precision ground worm set (DIN 6): 12–20 days. Large-diameter worm wheels (OD > 300 mm): 14–22 days. Supply as worm gear set (worm + wheel) or worm wheel only. Rush production available — contact us with your timeline.
Get a Quote
Send Your Drawing.
Get a Quote.
Every enquiry includes a DFM review — tolerance feasibility, material confirmation, and process approach confirmed before production starts. MOQ 1 piece.
24hr
Quote Response
MOQ 1
Prototypes OK
ISO
9001:2015
📐
DFM Review on Every Enquiry
Tolerance feasibility, fixturing strategy, and material confirmation. Specific, actionable feedback — not generic pushback.
🎯
First Article Inspection — Standard
FAI report on every new run. Material certs and surface treatment certs included with every shipment.
🔄
Same Process: Prototype to Production
Process plan from your prototype applies to production batches. No re-qualification when you scale.
⚙
3 / 4 / 5-Axis CNC + Turning
Complex structural parts, shafts, housings, and transmission components. Metals and engineering plastics.
ISO 9001:2015
3/4/5-Axis Milling
CNC Turning
CMM Inspection
Global Delivery