Helical Gear Tooth Pitting and Wear
Lufkin's helical gear designs are optimized for continuous duty, but micro-pitting at the tooth flank — particularly on the pinion gear in high-speed applications — is a common sign of bearing misalignment or inadequate lubrication. Progressive pitting reduces load capacity and generates metal debris that accelerates further wear. Eternal Gear Rebuilders performs gear surface analysis to distinguish between normal wear and damage patterns that indicate root causes like shaft deflection or contaminated oil.