A gear reducer is one form of speed changers that is widely used and categorized according to type of gear used, shaft position, as well as gear arrangement. It is usually the last categorization that will be discussed. Gear arrangements come in three major classifications. First is the gear reducers with parallel axes, second is with orthogonal axes, and the last one is with coaxial axes.
The gear speed reducer with parallel axes often uses spur gears, helical gears, and herringbone gears. As indicated by its name, the shafts are built parallel to each other. This reducer is often characterized for having high precision gears and very high transmission efficiency of up to 98%. Once maintained properly, these gear reducers last for a long time and can be manufactured cheaply.
As for the gear reducers that have orthogonal axes, they use bevel gears with shafts that are perpendicular. They are commonly used as power branching devices when working on site. Compared to a gear reducer with parallel axes, its precision is lesser. This is because the pinion is only supported on a single side, making it prone to deflection. Hence, its efficiency comes lower as well because of undesirable teeth contact.
As for the gear reducer that has coaxial axes, it is also called planetary gear type that comes in various types. Its input and output gears are capable of obtaining both high torque and efficiency. But it has to do so through equal transmission of power among its planetary gears. Distributing equal forces evenly becomes a huge challenge for engineers and designers. Good news is that there are different mechanisms developed to address this concern. If you want to have one for your own unique application, just give us a call today. We would be glad to assist you in this matter.
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