Could better gear efficiency accelerate net zero progress?
~ Analysing contact mechanics in gear systems reveals ways to reduce energy use ~
As organisations commit to net zero targets, cutting industrial energy consumption is a critical priority.
However, the potential of optimising existing machinery is frequently overlooked. Research in Advances in Mechanical Engineering shows that tribological contacts alone account for 23 per cent of global energy use. Here, David Strain, technical director at Technidrive, a specialist in industrial drive technology, explores how a scientific approach to gear forces and contact mechanics can reduce energy use and extend equipment life while helping operators cut emissions from existing machinery.
The UK’s legally binding commitment to reach net zero by 2050 places increasing pressure on industrial operators to reduce emissions in both direct and indirect energy use. According to the Carbon Trust, an independent organisation that helps businesses reduce carbon emissions, industry alone currently produces around 48 million tonnes of CO2 annually, making it the nation’s third-largest emitting sector.
Within industrial systems, electric motors and gear systems sit at the centre of countless driven applications including conveyors, mixers and pumps. Even small efficiency improvements can compound across thousands of operating hours, cutting the amount of energy needed to run industrial equipment.
In industrial systems, small improvements can add up quickly. Reducing friction, improving lubrication and correcting alignment can help machinery waste less energy over time.
In fact, research published in Advances in Mechanical Engineering found that by adopting advanced surface, material and lubrication technologies, energy losses due to friction and wear in industrial machinery could be reduced by as much as 18 per cent within eight years. In mechanical systems, these improvements often come from identifying and reducing frictional losses.
Where friction losses occur
Tribology provides the scientific framework for understanding where energy losses occur inside mechanical systems. In geared equipment, energy losses typically arise from sliding friction in gear meshes and bearings, lubricant churning and windage caused by air resistance. In each case, useful mechanical energy is converted into heat, reducing overall efficiency.
These losses are typically divided into load-dependent and no-load losses, both of which can significantly affect long-term operating performance. Because tribological contacts account for such a significant share of global energy use, even small reductions matter.
This is where contact mechanics becomes particularly valuable. By analysing how forces transfer between gear surfaces, engineers can identify areas of excessive stress, micro-slip and insufficient lubrication film thickness, all key contributors to friction and wear. This can mean lower operating temperatures, reduced component wear, longer equipment life and improved energy efficiency. Understanding these microscopic interactions helps engineers reduce friction, heat and wear across the system.
Practical ways to improve efficiency
In practice, gear efficiency is influenced by several interacting factors, including alignment, lubrication quality, surface condition and gearbox design. Monitoring power draw, operating temperature and lubricant condition can help engineers find inefficiencies and check whether changes are working.
The benefits extend beyond energy reduction alone. Lower friction can reduce unplanned downtime, extend service intervals and decrease spare parts consumption, cutting waste as well as operating cost.
Despite this, several misconceptions persist. Many organisations assume equipment replacement is the only route to lower emissions, when optimising existing assets can often deliver faster and more cost-effective results. Others underestimate the cumulative impact of incremental efficiency gains across large fleets of machinery.
Technidrive in practice
The value of optimising existing systems rather than replacing them is something Technidrive has seen first-hand. When Kerry Agribusiness needed to improve efficiency at its feed mill in Ireland, the solution was not a wholesale equipment overhaul. Instead, Technidrive engineered an automated drive system using a WEG CFW11 variable speed drive to take precise control of the feeder motor, replacing a manual process that had been wasting energy through inconsistent speed settings. The result was a 29 per cent increase in throughput, achieved by controlling existing machinery more intelligently, not by replacing it.
The net zero takeaway
Optimising gear systems is one of the most practical and scientifically measurable ways to reduce industrial energy consumption. By applying a structured, contact-mechanics-led approach, organisations can achieve measurable efficiency gains today without waiting for large-scale equipment replacements.
For businesses aiming to accelerate their net zero progress, understanding the friction within existing machinery may offer one of the most immediate opportunities for long-term impact.
For more information about Technidrive’s industrial drive solutions, visit its website.
Email: sales@technidrive.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 283 751 8111
