Understanding Motors and Reducers
Gear Motors
Gear motors are systems that are essential when correctly and effectively moving most motor-powered machines. Given their importance to adjust the speed of the mechanism, it is essential for us to know what they are, their components and their main types.
The gear reduction ratio (the ratio of the number of teeth between input and output shafts) is also known as the transmission ratio.
Essentially, a gearmotor is a pairing of gear reducer and ac or dc electrical motor. The gear and the motors are combined into one unit.
A gearmotor delivers high torque at low horsepower or low speed. The speed specifications for these motors are normal speed and stall-speed torque. These motors use gears, typically assembled as a gearbox, to reduce speed, which makes more torque available. Gearmotors are most often used in applications that need a lot of force to move heavy objects.
Gearmotors have a number of advantages over other types of motor/gear combinations. Perhaps most importantly, gearmotors can simplify design and implementation by eliminating the step of separately designing and integrating the motors with the gears, thus reducing engineering costs.
Gear Reducers
A gear reducer is a mechanical transmission device that connects a motor to a driven load. It is also known as a gearbox.
It allows you to modify the torque and speed between a motor and a load. Reduction gear assemblies are made up of series of gears.
A gear reducer is used to adapt the characteristics (torque and speed) of the input and output axis of a mechanism. This is why you have to know the torque and rotation speed.
It is therefore appropriate to ask yourself about the torque first and foremost. A reducer increases the torque of your motor and thus allows a receiving member to rotate under the impact of a new torque. Gear reducer manufacturers sometimes indicate the minimum and maximum torque (expressed in newton meters, N.m) that can be supported by each of their products. The torque density varies according to the gear reducer. For example, planetary gearboxes have a high torque density.
The other purpose of a gear reducer is to reduce the motor speed and we recommend that you take into account the ideal reduction ratio for your use. Based on the rotational speed of your motor, the reduction ratio is used to determine the output rotational speed. This information is also indicated by manufacturers on their product pages. It is given in revolutions per minute.
Lastly, you should ask yourself what kind of gear reducer assembly is most appropriate for your application. The input and output shafts of your gear reducer can be coaxial, parallel-shaft or orthogonal. This depends on your intended use.
