Is outside diameter the same as circumference?

AI Thread Summary
Outside diameter (OD) refers specifically to the diameter at the tips of a gear's teeth, and it is not the same as circumference. Circumference is calculated as the outside diameter multiplied by Pi (π). Gears have multiple diameters, including pitch diameter and root diameter, which are important for understanding gear specifications. To find the outside diameter, one can use the radius or diameter of the circle, but it is essential to differentiate between these various measurements. Understanding these terms is crucial for accurate gear design and application.
bcrary3
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Okay, this might be a stupid question, but I have a sheet with all the formulas to find all kinds of anything you'd need to find about a gear. However I am confused by when it says outside diameter. Is outside diameter the same as circumference?
How do I find outside diameter using either the radius or diameter of the circle?

Thanks!
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
bcrary3 said:
Okay, this might be a stupid question, but I have a sheet with all the formulas to find all kinds of anything you'd need to find about a gear. However I am confused by when it says outside diameter. Is outside diameter the same as circumference?
How do I find outside diameter using either the radius or diameter of the circle?

Thanks!

There is this really marvelous facility on the Internet called Google Search. You should learn how to use it. I'll bet a Google entry of define "outside diameter" will tell you what you want to know.
 
phinds said:
There is this really marvelous facility on the Internet called Google Search. You should learn how to use it. I'll bet a Google entry of define "outside diameter" will tell you what you want to know.
just as easy to also post the answer to newb Q, and then foster use of Gool or the like.

OP, no, OD is just that, the OD of say diameter of a pipe (the circular cross section after cutting the pipe perpendicular to its radial axis). mostly everything is 3D, thus a tube has a ID due to wall thickness.

Circumferene = 2πr = πd
 
the OP is asking about gears, not pipe.

Gear specifications have several different diameters, since the gear teeth are along the radius. So there's a diameter at the base of the tooth, at the outside edge of the tooth, along the line of action (where the meshing teeth touch) etc. Look at a gear manufacturer's website for a drawing and the definitions for the type of gear you're interested in.

Or try this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_pitch_diameter#Standard_pitch_diameter
 
Last edited:
my bad, didnt see the gear piece.

are they like threading guides, a minor and major diameter, w/ different designation for external vs internal threads (teeth in the case)?
 
The outside diameter of a gear is just the diameter at the tips of the teeth. They specify "outside" in order to differentiate from things like the pitch diameter and the root diameter.
 
Thanks for the help everyone! :D
 

Similar threads

Replies
7
Views
558
Replies
16
Views
2K
Replies
9
Views
3K
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
9
Views
4K
Replies
31
Views
4K
Back
Top