Jerky loads on surface-hardened gears

Damage occurs again and again in practice in the form of transmissions with surface hardened gears which break after a very long operating time (explained by seldom occurring jerky loads). Gear drives are frequently exposed to jerky stresses which are greater than their fatigue limit. These stresses are considered in gear calculations, first, by shock factors when the transmission is to be designed as high endurance with regard to overloads and, second, in the form of operating ratios when the design is to be time enduring with regard to overloads. The size of the operating ratio depends not only on torque characteristics, drive and processing machine, but also on the material and heat treatment.