Vision Quality Components, Inc. offers a variety of parts for use in gear pumps and metering pumps suitable for a variety of applications.
We had a new application that required a 30% increase in the strength of our gear for our hydraulic pump. We partnered with Vison Quality Components, Inc. to help us. Since then, they have been our go-to supplier for all our powdered metal components.
Bill E
Senior Project Engineer
This page will introduce you to gear pumps, applications that use gear pumps, and the use of Powder Metal for producing pump gears.
An Introduction to Gear Pumps
Gear pumps are a type of pump used to transfer liquids from one location to another. They are a positive displacement pump, meaning they provide a fixed flow rate regardless of pressure changes within the system.
There are two types of gear pumps – external gear pumps and internal gear pumps. External gear pumps make use of two external opposing gears (typically spur gears) in transferring the fluid type. Internal gear pumps use one outer ring gear and one internal pinion gear running inside the ring gear. In either type, the gears are contained within a pump housing or body.
External gear pumps consist of these main components:
- Driving gear
- Driven (idler) gear
- Pump housing
- End plates
- Side plates
How a Gear Pump Works
Gear pumps create fluid displacement via the meshing of the gears. Liquid comes through the inlet port and gets trapped in the spaces between the gear teeth and the pump housing. As the gears turn, the liquid is pushed along the housing until it reaches the other side and is forced out the outlet port under pressure.
It’s sort of like a crowd of people walking through a set of revolving doors.
The gear pump is operated by some type of motor that connects to a rotating shaft which is attached to the driving gear. The motor is responsible for turning the driving gear, which in turn drives the driven (idler) gear.
Where You Will See Gear Pumps
Gear pumps are used in a variety of applications throughout many industries since they are strong and rigid in addition to being built to tight tolerances. They can pump viscous liquids at higher pressures than centrifugal pumps.
They are very commonly used in lubrication pumps for power transmissions in automobiles, heavy trucks, lawn care equipment, hydraulic lifts, and other machine tools. Your car’s oil pump is likely a gear pump.
Gear pumps are excellent as metering pumps since they can control volume and flow rate of a variety of fluids. For example, chemical additive metering is one duty.
Choose Powder Metal for Your Gear Pump Needs
If you need precision pump gears, powder metal is a superb choice.
How does a powder metal pump gear compare with a machined from bar pump gear?
In most applications you will not notice any difference in the pump performance when using a fully machined pump gear or one produced as a powder metal component.
Both are made to extremely close finished tolerances, both are normally heat treated for long pump life, and both are made to the Customer’s print specification and of very high quality. The one difference you may find between the two is that in many cases, especially those gears having an ID keyway or similar ID form, the powder metal pump gear will be lower priced as many machining operations are eliminated.
“Gear designers and product engineers find they have a much greater opportunity for optimum and consistent flow rate, increased tooth strength, and pump operational noise reduction using PM pump and metering gears instead of gears that have been hobbed.”
From the article, “Cost Reduction Using Powder Metal for Pump and Metering Gears.”
Vision Quality Components, Inc. – Your Source for Pump Gears
Vision Quality Components, Inc. offers many types of hydraulic gear pump components including: Precision Finished Pump and Metering Gears, some Helical Pump Gears, Inner and Outer Ring Gear Sets, Port Plates, Pump Covers, and Housings/Bodies.
Contacting us is easy! For sales, contact John Dippold, by phone at 814-788-5205 or email at john.dippold@innovativesintered.com.
Do you want to speak directly to our engineering, quality, or production control people? More contacts can be found on our “Contact Us” page.
