19 Rack Gear Manufacturers in 2024
This section provides an overview for rack gears as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 19 rack gear manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked rack gear companies as of November, 2024: 1.STD Precision Gear & Instrument, Inc., 2.Tracey Gear & Precision Shaft, 3.Wittenstein.
Table of Contents
What Is a Rack Gear?
A rack gear, also known as a "gear rack", is a type of gear with an infinitely large diameter. It features teeth of the same shape arranged at equal intervals along a square or round bar or plate. When used in conjunction with a pinion gear (a small diameter gear), this setup, known as a rack and pinion, can convert rotational motion to linear motion and vice versa.
Uses of Rack Gears
Rack gears are primarily used in conjunction with pinion gears in machines and devices that require rotational and linear motions. An example of their application is in factory production lines, where they play a crucial role in material handling and process transitions. Additionally, rack and pinion steering mechanisms in automobiles convert steering shaft rotation into linear motion of the tie rods. Other common uses include:
- Focusing mechanisms in telescopes and microscopes
- Vertical position adjustments in drill press spindles and tables
- Positioning adjustments in machine tools
- Lifting mechanisms in construction elevators
Principle of Rack Gears
1. Dimensions and Specifications
The basic dimensions and specifications of rack gears depend on the specific standard being used. Various standard defines the dimensional relationships between rack gears and pinion gears, ensuring compatibility and efficiency in their operation.
2. Length
While theoretically rack gears can have an unlimited number of teeth, practical limitations arise due to potential bending and deformation with longer lengths. To address this, racks are often machined at both ends and connected to match tooth pitches, allowing for extended lengths without compromising accuracy or functionality.
Types of Rack Gears
1. Classification by Tooth Trace Shape
Rack gears can be straight-toothed or helical. Straight-tooth rack gears have teeth perpendicular to the gear's longitudinal direction, offering simplicity and ease of manufacturing. Helical rack gears feature obliquely angled teeth, providing higher strength, quieter operation, and suitability for high-speed applications, though they require additional considerations for thrust loads.
2. Classification by Cross-Sectional Shape
Rack gears come in rectangular (square bar) and circular (round bar) cross-sectional shapes, each suited to different applications and installation requirements.
3. Classification by Material
Materials for rack gears vary based on application needs, including carbon steels, low-alloyed steels, stainless steel, resin materials, and copper alloys. Selection depends on required strength, wear resistance, and other operational characteristics.
4. Others
Additional configurations include linear motors with pre-installed racks and pinions, providing integrated motion solutions.
Other Information about Rack Gears
Features of Rack and Pinion
Advantages:
- Support for long strokes
- Ability to handle large loads with modular changes
- High-speed conveyance capabilities
- Versatility in applications through material and design modifications
Disadvantages:
- Higher frictional forces under load
- Tendency for increased noise
- Inherent presence of backlash
List of 19 Rack Gear Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
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- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
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- United States of America
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Wittenstein
Racks
Manufacturer Overview
Wittenstein, headquartered in Illinois, USA, is a manufacturer of motion control systems for industrial, energy, aerospace, simulation and other industries. The company's product portfolio include planetary gearheads, servo-right-angle gearheads, linear systems, motors and control loading systems. It offers customized products, systems and solutions for highly dynamic motion, maximum-precise positioning and smart networking for mechatronic drive technology. It partners with companies in the development, design and manufacture of machines for plant and process automation. The company offers resources like software for drive system optimization and CAD POINT for performance and product data as well as engineering services and consultation.
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Boston Gear
Gear Racks
Manufacturer Overview
Boston Gear is a North Carolina-based manufacturer and supplier of power transmission components including bearings, clutches, enclosed gear drives, and AC/DC motors. Founded in 1877, the company offers more than 30,000 standard products, as well as the option to create custom-engineered solutions. The company is ISO 9001 certified, with clients in the mining and aggregate, energy, aerospace, defense, construction, and agricultural industries. Boston Gear components are also used in packaging and robotics operations by companies such as Disney and Coca-Cola.
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Tracey Gear & Precision Shaft
Rack Gears
Manufacturer Overview
Tracey Gear & Precision Shaft was established in 1945 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island where it remains to this day. The ISO 9001:2015 certified company is a custom manufacturer of gear, spline, worm cutting, and other gear parts used in military, food manufacturing, oil drilling, and recreational vehicle industries. Materials the company works with include steel, stainless, bronze, aluminum, and Nylon. The company also offers services for thread grinding, CNC gear cutting, CNC turning & milling, CNC grinding, and broaching and can rush custom delivery to as little as two days.
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T & T Manufacturing, LLC.
Rack Gears
Manufacturer Overview
T&T Manufacturing was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Spooner, Wisconsin. The company is a member of the Bretting family of companies which also includes Absolut. While Absolut design, manufactures, and build paper bag machinery and converting equipment, T&T is a designer, manufacturer, and builder of all types of fixtures for industrial applications, specialty machinery, and engineered wood equipment. The company’s product line includes conveying equipment, lift & turns, production machinery, and weld fixtures. The company also provides design, engineering, field service, training, and individual OEM & replacement parts such as custom machinery and engineered wood equipment.
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STD Precision Gear & Instrument, Inc.
Rack Gears
Manufacturer Overview
STD Precision Gear & Instrument, Inc., since 1986, is a manufacturer of high precision, tight tolerance, configured gears, splines and other mechanical transfer components such as pulleys and sprockets, ratchets, universal joints, cranks and jackscrews used in aerospace, medical, commercial, and military industries. The company in West Bridgewater, MA, has capabilities such as CNC turning & milling, surface & cylindrical grinding, isotropic superfinishing, heat treating, and tool making. The company’s products qualified for applications such as NASA’S Space Station and Hubble Telescope and are certified by ISO 9001 and AS 9100 and Nadcap accredited.
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Rush Gears, Inc.
Rack Gears
Manufacturer Overview
Formerly known as the Globe Gear Company and founded in 1919, Rush Gear Inc. is a manufacturer of custom gears for industrial and commercial applications. Rush Gear's facility is equipped with gear manufacturing technology, including CNC gear cutting machines, gear hobbing machines, and gear shaping machines. The company produces gears in a range of sizes, from small precision gears to large industrial gears that serve thousands of applications across industries such as agriculture, machine shops, manufacturing, robotics, and many more.
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Industrial Sprockets & Gears, Inc.
Rack Gears
Manufacturer Overview
Industrial Sprockets & Gears, Inc., established in Santa Fe Springs, CA , in 1970 is a manufacturer of gears and sprockets used in industries including Packaging, Agriculture and Power Generation. Their product portfolio includes Spur Gears, helical gears that are used for industrial machinery and automotive applications, Bevel Gears, Worm Gears and Planetary Gears used for robotics, aerospace, and automotive systems. The company also offers customer services that include support, custom research projects and customized services.
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Dayton Gear & Tool
Rack Gears
Manufacturer Overview
Dayton Gear, founded in 1946 and headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, is a manufacturer specializing in gears, pinions, and related products. Their diverse product range includes spur gears, helical gears, bevel gears, worm gears, racks, as well as pinions, gear housings, gear couplings, and gear reducers. Dayton Gear produces custom-designs gears to meet specific customer requirements, and cater to various industries, including automotive, aerospace, industrial, and agricultural. Their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility equipped with modern CNC machines allows them to offer additional services like gear repair, rebuilding, and inspection.
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Dalton Gear Company
Rack Gears
Manufacturer Overview
Dalton Gear Company was formed in 1955 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company is a manufacturer of custom and standard gears related to machined parts for domestic and international customers. The company’s standard parts include overload safety devices, worm gear reducers, and drive tensioners & idler sprockets. The company’s customized manufacturing is accomplished using CNC machining with capabilities including machine centers and CNC lathes with accuracy down to 0.0005 inches, and additional operations such as grading and honing.
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Cleveland Gear Company
Rack Gears
Manufacturer Overview
Cleveland Gear Company, Inc. was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. The company is a manufacturer of gears, speed reducers, and other parts for industries such as manufacturing, mining, and packaging. The company has four product and service categories: Enclosed Drives, Open Gearing, Custom Drives, and Field Service & Rebuilds. Enclosed Drives include modular gear products, larger enclosed drive products, and helical enclosed drive products. Open Gearing includes Master Worm Systems and services such as case hardening. Custom drives are produced according to industry need such as rubber production and mineral processing.
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Circle Gear & Machine Co., Inc.
Rack Gears
Manufacturer Overview
Circle Gear & Machine Co., Inc., established in 1951 and based in Illinois, USA, is a manufacturer of gears and gearboxes. The company manufactures a range of gears including bevel, helical and worm gear for automotive, construction, chemical and other industries. It provides reverse engineering for gear and gear boxes, from worn samples, prints or sketches, along with rebuild, repair and emergency services. The company has a quality management system in compliance with ISO 9001:2015, and has a complete inspection lab with CMM(Coordinate Measuring Machine).
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Butler Gear Enterprises, LLC
Rack Gears
Manufacturer Overview
Butler Gear Enterprises (BGE) is a Wisconsin-based gear manufacturer and service company established in 1960. They manufacture custom gear and transmission products from various materials, including metals and non-metals, to plastic and carbon steel. Butler’s extensive gear catalogue includes spur, helical, to worm gear sets featuring British Standard metric, straight and stub gear tooth forms. Their market includes small-scale shops to large oil, auto, military, drilling, aerospace, government and food service companies. As a service provider, Butler Gear offers gear drawings, coatings & plating and engineering services.
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B & H Machine Sales
Rack Gears
Manufacturer Overview
B&H Machine Sales was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. The company is a machine designer that assists manufacturers with fabrication, repair, and machining services for many industries. The company has a selection of many new, used, and remanufactured power transmission components such as bushings, variable speed drives, and gear heads from brands such as Winsmith, Sumitomo, Cleveland, Dodge, and ABB. The company can repair, rebuild, and redesign new and existing customer products to meet customer’s changing needs.
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American Precision Gear Co., Inc.
Rack Gears
Manufacturer Overview
American Precision Gear Co., Inc. is a manufacturer of gears since 1956 and is based in California. The company not only manufactures precision gears but crafts many custom gears as well which include spur, ring, miniature, and helical. Splines and worms for industrial machining applications are also designed including custom machined gear racks for various linear motion applications. The company serves numerous industries that require the use of precision and custom gears for various applications, some of them being Biomedical, Aerospace, Oil & Gas, Medical devices, Technology, and lots more.
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TPA Motion, LLC
Rack Gears
Company Overview
TPA Motion was started in 2002 and based in Fort Mill, South Carolina. TPA Motion is now part of the Acuvi AB group of companies. Acuvi is a Swedish Technology company focusing on developing compact drive solutions for life science, medical, and industrial applications. TPA Motion is an ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturer and distributor of motion and precision assemblies. TPA Motion has 2 main product segments, component products and engineered OEM solutions. Component products include rails, actuators, bearings, guides, and assemblies. Engineered OEM solutions include microplate robots, curved rail systems, special telescopic slides, and high temperature systems.
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Miniature Precision Components, Inc.
Rack Gears
Company Overview
Established in 1999, Miniature Precision Components (MPC), as the name implies, is a precision mechanical component manufacturer based in Santa Clara. Since 1972, MPC has made and distributed US-made balls, needle and thrust bearings, shafting, couplings, dowel pins and precision shoulder screws to high-tech and industrial enterprises globally. They also offer custom components to meet client-specific manufacturing needs. MPC doubles as a WM Berg and PIC Design distributor and will interchange part numbers at competitive pricing.
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Accent Bearings Co., Inc.
Rack Gears
Distributor Overview
Accent Bearings Co. Inc. was established in 1993 and is a distributor for industrial bearings. Accent Bearings offers a full range of bearing-related parts including ball, cylindrical, radial, thrust, and standard, as well as CAM followers, rod ends, belts, sheaves, busings, bronze busings, bar stock, pulleys, chains, sprockets, gears, speed reducers, motors, clutches, brakes, couplings, shafts, shaft accessories, oil seals, gauges, retaining rings, air cylindeers, conveyor belts, and fluid power process control equipment.
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Precipart
Rack Gears
Manufacturer Overview
Precipart was founded in 1950 and is based in Farmingdale, New York, as a manufacturer of precision mechanical components and motion control systems for various industries. The company produces precision gears, custom gearboxes, micro springs & metal stampings, and electromechanical assemblies that have applications in the aerospace, automotive, electronics, defense, and photonics industries. They also offer hearing aid components, medical devices, and technical ceramic injection molding, along with services including micro 3D printing & micro laser sintering that are required in the medical sector, hydraulic components manufacturing, and sensor & instrumentation markets.
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Rack Gear Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | STD Precision Gear & Instrument, Inc. |
16.5%
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| 2 | Tracey Gear & Precision Shaft |
9.4%
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| 3 | Wittenstein |
9.4%
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| 4 | Boston Gear |
8.2%
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| 5 | Industrial Sprockets & Gears, Inc. |
8.2%
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| 6 | T & T Manufacturing, LLC. |
8.2%
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| 7 | Dayton Gear & Tool |
7.1%
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| 8 | Cleveland Gear Company |
5.9%
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| 9 | Rush Gears, Inc. |
5.9%
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| 10 | Dalton Gear Company |
3.5%
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Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the rack gear page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- Boston Gear: 9,100
- T & T Manufacturing, LLC.: 85
Newly Established Company
- Industrial Sprockets & Gears, Inc.: 1970 (54 years ago)
- Butler Gear Enterprises, LLC: 1960 (64 years ago)
- Tracey Gear & Precision Shaft: 1945 (79 years ago)
Company with a History
- B & H Machine Sales: 1939 (85 years ago)
- Tracey Gear & Precision Shaft: 1945 (79 years ago)
- Butler Gear Enterprises, LLC: 1960 (64 years ago)
Rack Gear Manufacturers in United States
*Including some distributors, etc.
- Wittenstein
- Boston Gear
- Tracey Gear & Precision Shaft
- T & T Manufacturing, LLC.
- STD Precision Gear & Instrument, Inc.
- Rush Gears, Inc.
- Industrial Sprockets & Gears, Inc.
- Dayton Gear & Tool
- Dalton Gear Company
- Cleveland Gear Company
- Circle Gear & Machine Co., Inc.
- Butler Gear Enterprises, LLC
- B & H Machine Sales
- American Precision Gear Co., Inc.
- TPA Motion, LLC
- Miniature Precision Components, Inc.
- KDG Group
- Accent Bearings Co., Inc.
Global Distribution of Rack Gear Manufacturers by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
United States of America
|
18 | 100.0% |
List of Rack Gear Products
3 products are listed.
Wittenstein
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