In recent years, gear manufacturers have increased their
technological knowledge of the production of quality gears.
This knowledge has led to many improvements, including
lower noise, lighter weight and lower cost, as well as
increased load-carrying capacity to handle higher speeds
and torque with a minimum amount of generated heat. This
review concentrates on the role of induction hardening of
gears and pinions in achieving these advances.
Not all gears and pinions are well suited for induction
hardening. External spur and helical gears, worm gears,
and internal gears, racks and sprockets are among the parts
that are typically induction hardened. Conversely,
bevel gears, hypoid gears, and noncircular gears are rarely
heat treated by induction.