Bronze Worm Gear Manufacturing — Phosphor & Aluminum Bronze Worm Wheels
CuSn10P / C90700 phosphor bronze and CuAl10Fe3 aluminum bronze worm wheels
Custom Bronze Worm Wheels for Long Service Life
A bronze worm gear set pairs a hardened steel worm with a bronze worm wheel — and the wheel alloy is what decides how long the drive runs quietly under high sliding contact. We manufacture custom bronze worm wheels from centrifugally cast blanks in phosphor bronze (ZCuSn10P1 / C90700, CuSn12Ni2) for general power transmission and aluminum bronze (ZCuAl10Fe3 / C95200, CuAl10Fe5Ni5) for high-load, shock-load, or corrosive environments. For cross-reference, the standard phosphor bronze equivalence is ZCuSn10P1 (GB/T 1176) ≈ C90700 (ASTM) ≈ CuSn12Ni2/CuSn10P1 (DIN/EN) — the same alloy family under Chinese, American, and European designations.
Every bronze worm gear we ship starts as a centrifugal casting: spinning the mold drives porosity and impurities to the bore, which is then machined away, leaving a dense, uniform tooth flank that outlasts sand castings. Wheels can be supplied blank, rough-machined, finish-hobbed, or finish-ground and lapped to match your worm shaft. Send your drawing and receive an alloy recommendation and price within 24 hours.
Bronze Worm Gear Specifications & Size Chart
| Bronze alloys | Phosphor bronze ZCuSn10P1 (C90700), CuSn12Ni2 · Aluminum bronze ZCuAl10Fe3 (C95200), CuAl10Fe5Ni5 (C95500) — material details → |
| Casting method | Centrifugal casting (dense, porosity-free tooth flanks) |
| Module range | 0.5 – 20 module |
| Wheel diameter | Up to 1,000 mm |
| Center distance | Per customer drawing |
| Gear ratio | 5:1 – 100:1 typical, per design |
| Precision grade | DIN 5–8, AGMA Q5–Q12 |
| Hardness (phosphor bronze) | 80–150 HB |
| Hardness (aluminum bronze) | 140–210 HB |
| Supply condition | Cast blank / rough-machined / finish-hobbed / ground & lapped |
| Compatible worm shafts | Case-hardened steel, nitrided steel, stainless steel |
| Standards | DIN 3974, ANSI/AGMA 2011-B14, JIS B 1723 |
| Minimum order | From 2T (single replacement wheels accepted for rebuilds) |
| Lead time | 7–15 days after drawing approval; rush 5–7 days |
Have a drawing ready? Send it as PDF or STEP and we'll confirm module, alloy, and grade against this chart — with pricing in 24 hours. Request a quote →
Bronze Alloy Grade Cross-Reference
Buyers specify bronze by their national standard. This table maps the grades we cast most often — if your drawing calls out a different designation, send it and we will match the equivalent.
| GB/T 1176 (China) | ASTM / UNS (USA) | EN 1982 (Europe) | JIS (Japan) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZCuSn10P1 | C90700 | CC491K (CuSn11P) | BC6 | General industrial worm wheels |
| — (CuSn12Ni2) | — | CuSn12Ni2 | — | Higher-tin wheels for heavier sliding wear |
| ZCuAl10Fe3 | C95200 | CC331G (CuAl10Fe3) | — | Heavy-load, shock-load worm wheels |
| ZCuAl10Fe5Ni5 | C95500 | CuAl10Fe5Ni5 | — | Marine and corrosive environments |
| — | C95400 | CuAl11Fe4 | — | Higher-strength option, on request |
Learn more about each alloy family: Phosphor Bronze · Aluminum Bronze
Phosphor Bronze vs Aluminum Bronze Worm Wheel
Choosing the wheel alloy is the single most important decision in a bronze worm gear specification. Both families below are proven worm wheel materials — the right one depends on your load, sliding speed, lubrication, and environment. Our worm gear material selection guide covers the full decision logic; this table is the quick version.
| Phosphor bronze (ZCuSn10P1 / C90700) | Aluminum bronze (ZCuAl10Fe3 / C95200) | |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength (GB/T 1176 min.) | ≥310 MPa (centrifugal cast) | ≥490 MPa |
| Yield strength (Rp0.2 min.) | ≥170 MPa | ≥180 MPa |
| Typical hardness | 80–150 HB | 140–210 HB |
| Wear behavior | Excellent conformability, embeddability, and anti-seizure margin | High abrasion resistance; pairs best with hardened, lapped worms |
| Corrosion resistance | Good in atmosphere and fresh water | Excellent, including seawater |
| Shock & contamination tolerance | Moderate | High — handles shock loads and abrasive particles |
| Cost | Lower machining cost; tin content drives material price | Higher strength per part; slightly harder to machine |
| Best for | Elevators, valve actuators, conveyors, machine tools at moderate load (typ. 15–20 MPa) and sliding speeds to ~8 m/s with good lubrication | Heavy-duty gearboxes, marine winches, screw jacks, and drives with shock loads or poor lubrication |
For applications pushing past ZCuAl10Fe3's strength, we can supply C95400 (CuAl11Fe4) on request.
Not sure which bronze your drive needs? Send your operating conditions (torque, speed, duty cycle, environment) — our engineers will recommend the alloy and quote both options within 24 hours. Get an alloy recommendation →
Applications
- ✓ Elevator traction drives
- ✓ Valve actuators and control valves
- ✓ Conveyor and hoist gearboxes
- ✓ Machine tool rotary tables
- ✓ Marine steering and winch drives
- ✓ Screw jacks and lifting systems
- ✓ Solar tracker slewing drives
- ✓ Industrial fan and blower drives
Manufacturing & Quality Control
Each bronze worm wheel starts with a centrifugally cast blank. We rough-turn the blank, cut the teeth by CNC hobbing or profile milling, finish-bore the hub, and optionally lap the wheel against a master worm to verify contact pattern. Final inspection covers tooth profile deviation, lead deviation, pitch error, runout, hardness, and contact pattern. Every batch ships with a material certificate.
For fully custom builds — special alloys, matched sets with our worm wheels and shafts, or reverse-engineered replacements — see our custom worm gear service.
- ✓ Centrifugal casting for dense grain structure
- ✓ CNC hobbing and profile milling
- ✓ Finish boring and keyway/spline machining
- ✓ Lapping against master worm (optional)
- ✓ DIN 3974 tooth tolerance inspection
- ✓ Contact pattern verification under load
- ✓ Material certificate per batch
- ✓ VCI corrosion protection and custom packaging
Request a Quote
Send your wheel drawing (PDF or STEP) or a sample of your existing worm shaft. Include the quantity, target alloy if known, and required precision grade — we respond within 24 hours with an alloy recommendation, lead time confirmation, and pricing. Replacement and rebuild wheels are welcome from single pieces; production batches start from 2T.
Get Quote → ｜ WhatsApp +86 138 1403 4409 ｜ worm@wormgearmfg.com
Frequently Asked Questions — Bronze Worm Gears
What bronze alloys do you use for worm gears?
We use two main families: phosphor bronze (CuSn10P / C90700 and CuSn12Ni2) for general industrial worm wheels, and aluminum bronze (CuAl10Fe3 / C95200 and CuAl10Fe5Ni5) for heavy-load, abrasive, or marine environments. Alloy selection depends on load, speed, lubrication, and corrosion exposure.
Why is centrifugal casting better for bronze worm wheels?
Centrifugal casting spins the molten bronze in a rotating mold, pushing impurities and porosity to the inner diameter (which is later machined away). The result is a denser, more uniform grain structure with better wear resistance and fatigue strength than static sand castings.
Can you manufacture a matched bronze worm wheel to my existing worm shaft?
Yes. Send us the worm shaft or its drawing, and we will cut the bronze wheel to match the exact lead, pressure angle, and center distance. This is common for gearbox rebuilds and reverse-engineered replacements.
What precision grades can bronze worm wheels achieve?
Finished and lapped bronze worm wheels typically meet DIN 6-8 for hobbed wheels and DIN 5-6 for ground/lapped wheels used in high-precision reducers. We inspect tooth profile, lead, pitch, and contact pattern against DIN 3974 or ANSI/AGMA 2011-B14.
What is the typical lead time for bronze worm gears?
Standard bronze worm wheels ship in 7-15 days after drawing approval. Rush orders for replacement or prototype wheels can be delivered in 5-7 days. Large castings or special alloys may add 3-5 days for material procurement.
What is your minimum order quantity for bronze worm gears?
Production batches start from a 2T MOQ of cast bronze. For gearbox rebuilds and maintenance replacements we also accept single-piece and small-quantity orders — tell us the application and we will advise on the most economical option.
Can you make a bronze worm gear to my drawing?
Yes — custom manufacturing to customer drawings is our standard workflow. Send the drawing as PDF or STEP (plus the mating worm data if you have it), and we will confirm manufacturability, recommend the alloy, and quote within 24 hours.
How do I choose between phosphor bronze and aluminum bronze?
Choose phosphor bronze (ZCuSn10P1 / C90700) for moderate loads, sliding speeds up to about 8 m/s, and well-lubricated drives where quiet running matters. Choose aluminum bronze (ZCuAl10Fe3 / C95200) for heavy or shock loads, abrasive contamination, or corrosive and marine environments. Send us your torque, speed, and duty cycle and we will confirm the choice.
What information do you need to quote a bronze worm gear?
Ideally: the wheel drawing (module, teeth, pressure angle, center distance, accuracy grade), the alloy or operating conditions, the quantity, and the destination country. If you only have a sample or a mating worm shaft, that works too — we can reverse-engineer the wheel from it.
Related Resources for Bronze Worm Gears
Phosphor Bronze
CuSn10P and CuSn12Ni2 bronze for conformable, wear-resistant worm wheels.
Learn more →Aluminum Bronze
High-strength CuAl10Fe3 bronze for heavy-load and corrosive environments.
Learn more →Worm Shafts
Case-hardened and nitrided steel worm shafts designed to mate with bronze wheels.
Learn more →Worm Gear Manufacturers
Learn why engineers choose WormGear Mfg as their precision worm gear supplier.
Learn more →Elevators & Escalators
Safety-critical bronze worm wheel applications in elevator traction drives.
Learn more →Material Selector Tool
Interactive tool to choose between bronze, steel, and plastic worm gear materials.
Learn more →