How Does a Gearbox Work?

1. A gearbox is a method of transmitting energy from one mechanical device to

another. It works by increasing the torque while at the same time reducing the
speed. Torque generates power by twisting and bending solid material. The
gearbox is located in the power shaft, and every gear in the gearbox has a
specific purpose in the operation of the vehicle. Each level of speed has a
relative gear that gives your vehicle the right amount of speed and torque. A gear
ratio is used to determine the level of force in each gear, and once this ratio is
set, it cannot be changed.

Manual

2. A manual gearbox works when the clutch is pressed down. This allows the
gearshift to be put into any desired gear. Most manual transmissions have five or
six gears in their gear box. When the gears in the gearbox are shifted into a
higher gear, the gearbox gives the vehicle more power while using less fuel. This
works because the gearbox rotates the drive shaft, alternating the torque and
power. When the gears are shifted into a lower gear, your vehicle will run at a
lower speed. Gears engage the drive shaft at different points along the way.
When the gear is lower, it will engage the drive shaft closer to the gearbox.

Automatic

3. An automatic transmission's gearbox works in concert with the accelerator,

brakes and drive shaft. The transmission in an automatic vehicle is more
expensive and can be more difficult to maintain and replace. Automatic
transmissions use the programmed gear ratio, and spin the drive shaft according
to how much power is coming from the accelerator. When the brake in the
vehicle is applied, the gearbox decreases the speed by using counterweights to
slow the drive shaft.
Definition:

A simple definition of the purpose of a gearbox may be stated as:

" A Gearbox is a unit which receives the primary input speed - driving speed source
and alters it to a different output speed - driven speed source using a series of gears.

When a gearbox alters the driving speed, it is said to create a "mechanical advantage"

Thus the fundamental purpose of a gear drive is to transmit uniform motion between two
shafts at a constant ratio. The basic law of gearing states that to achieve this, the
common normal to the tooth profiles at all points must pass through a fixed point called
the " Pitch Point"

The various types of gears that are used are:

Spur - the axes of the shafts connected by the gears are PARALELL.

Bevel - the axes of the shafts INTERSECT.

Spiral - the axes of the shafts are NON-PARALELL and NON-INTERSECTING.

Helical - A type of spur gear in which although the axes of the shafts are paralell the
teeth are cut on helices instaed of paralell to the axis(i.e. straight across the wheel).

Worm - basically a form of spiral gearing in which the axes of the driving and driven
shafts are usually, though not invariably, at right angles and the velocity ratio is high, the
driving wheel being of a small diameter.

Gearbox ratios and Gear Ratios:

Gearbox ratio definition:

The ratio of the number of revolutions per minute of the input source in relation to the
number of revolutions per minute of the output source is known as the ratio of the
gearbox In the Materials Handling environment, the main driving source is usually a
standard electric motor, and the gearbox is utilised to reduce the input speed of the
electric motor to produce a lower output speed from the gearbox. This reduction ratio of
output speed vs. input speed is known as the reduction ratio of the gearbox.

Gear ratio definition:

Gearboxes generally contain a series of toothed gears connected together as previously

explained. Bevel and spiral bevel gears are used as a pair of gears and the ratio of the
gears can be obtained by dividing the number of teeth in the smaller gear into the
number of teeth in the larger gear.
e.g. 48/17 = 2.82:1 Ratio

This overall ratio of all the gears contained within a gearbox is known as the gearbox
ratio. The same comments apply to helical gears,whether they be single or double
helical.

A combination of bevel or spiral bevel gears can be used in conjunction with spurs or
helicals in a gearbox.

This provides a right-angled drive.

Wormgears are usually used as a single reduction gearbox, but a gearbox can utilise
two sets of worms and wheels, or, withone pair of gears with either spur, helical or bevel
helical gears to provide a double reduction and a right angled drive.

It should be noted that ratio's given for wormgear units are usually nominal and not
exact.
to obtain the exact gearbox ratio , divide the number of starts in the worm into the
number of teeth in the wheel

What are the advantages and disadvantages of gear reduction?

Well, the two main disadvantages are #1 you lose speed and #2 you have added
weight for the gear box. But, on the other hand, there are some great advantages to
using gear reduction. First, you bring the bot down to a manageable speed. Second, the
motor doesn't have to work as hard to spin the wheel which means it won't draw as
much current from your batteries. And third, along those lines, the torque produced by
the output is inversely proportional to the amount of reduction in the gear box. Say what?
Basically, if you have a 4:1 gear box then the bot moves 1/4 as fast but has 4 times the
torque! So you can have a 120 pound robot with the right gearing that will push a 400
pound load across the floor!

The optimum configuration will give you greatest speed but still have enough torque
to cause the wheels to break traction (peel out) before the motor stalls. That optimum
configuration varies from bot to bot and is up to you to figure out how to best implement
it with your own robot.

Bevel Gears
Bevel gears are mechanical devices used for transmitting mechanical power and motion.
These gears are widely used for transmitting power and motion between nonparallel
axes and are designed to transmit motion between intersecting axes, generally at right
angles. The teeth on bevel gear can be straight, spiral or hypoid. The gears are suitable
when the direction of a shaft's rotation needs to be changed.

Materials used
Materials used to manufacture these gears are used keeping in mind certain factors
including design life, power transmission requirements, noise generation. Some of the
important materials used are :

• Metal - Steel, cast iron and stainless steel.

• Plastic - Acetal and polycarbonate.

Important specifications to be considered

• Gear center
• Bore diameter
• Shaft diameter

Use of Bevel Gear

These gears find wide application in a number of fields including :

• Automotive industry
• Textile industry
• Industrial engineering products
Spur gears
These gears are made of cast iron and steel having a range up to 5000 mm OD
50 module. The gears categories vary from single stars to multiple stars. These gears
are used for cranes, material holding equipments, chemical plants, sugar plants, mineral
processing equipments and cement plants. These gears are also used in petrochemical
sectors, steel rolling mills and for coal handling equipments.

Parallel shafts having involute teeth are connected by the Spur gears. These parallel
shafts can have either internal or external teeth. No external thrust between the gears
are occurred. These gears are cheap. Although the performance of these gear are not
very high but up to the satisfactory level. For those shafts which rotate in the same plan,
these gears are used. The prominent features of these gears are dedendum, addendum
flank and fillet.
What are Gearboxes?

Usually found near motors of some sort, gearboxes are used to

reduce the load on the motor by using the motor's own momentum to keep it turning.
Once a motor has reached a number of revolutions per minute, it is advisable for the
operator to increase the gear, to drop the revolutions on the motor, yet still keep the
same amount of power created. This reduces wear on the engine, allows more control,
and allows greater speeds.

Although, in practice, the main use of a Gearbox is to act as a reduction gear. These can
be variable or non-variable, depending on the application. In other words, if when the
motor is turning 2500 rpm the output shaft is turning 500, the gearbox is reducing the
number of revolutions from input to output.

This is usually achieved by use of cog wheels. If the input shaft is connected to a small
cog, the output shaft is connected to a large, and two are meshed together in the gear
box, then it will take several turns of the input shaft to make the output turn once. This
not only decreases wear on the motor, but also allows greater acceleration - infact the
larger the reduction ratio, the larger the acceleration. Ever tried getting a car moving
(from stationary) in it's 5th gear? There is simply not enough acceleration to move -
therefore the engine will stall.

Types of Gearboxes Used

• Reduction Gearbox
• Pinion Gearbox
• Planetary Gearbox

A number of gearbox manufacturers are continuously investing in research and

development for providing best quality products thereby meeting the high standards and
requirements of the steel industry. The gearboxes are specially designed to work
efficiently at peak loads and also withstand jerks and heavy load.

Gearbox Materials
 A range of gearboxes are constructed from a variety of materials
depending on the industry or the product in which they are being used for. Finest quality
materials are used to manufacture gearboxes for ensuring reliability, ease of
maintenance and long life. The specialty gearboxes materials undergo vibration and
endurance test to ensure that the end product is of premium quality.

• Aluminum Gearbox

• Cast Iron Gearbox

• Bronze Gearbox

Stainless Steel Gearbox

Cast Iron Gearbox

Cast iron is an important iron-carbon alloy often casted into shape and containing
2 to 4.5 percent carbon, 0.5 to 3 percent silicon. It also contains traces of sulfur,
manganese and phosphorus. The material is popularly used to manufacture gearboxes
in a number of commercial applications.

The metal is strong, durable and apt for manufacturing gearboxes.

Rugged cast iron is used for precise gearing and longer life. The material enables the
speed reducer for use in harsh chemical environments.

Properties Suitable for Gearbox Manufacturing

• Good heat dissipator

• Durable
• Anti corrosion
• Strong

Use of Cast Iron Gearbox

Cast iron gearbox is used in a number of fields and areas including :

• Mining industry
• Power industry
• Conveyors
 • Heavy industrial machines
• Paper and pulp industry

Aluminum Gearbox

Aluminum is a commonly available and widely used metal to manufacture a

range of products. It is used for both industrial and domestic applications. This non toxic,
non sparkling and non magnetic metal is also used to manufacture different types of
gearbox. It is often used in die casting and sand casting of gearbox.

Aluminum alloys are extensively used to manufacture a variety of industrial gearbox

finding application in different industries . The metal readily forms alloys with a number
of other metals including zinc, copper, magnesium, silicon and manganese.

Properties Suitable for Gearbox Manufacturing

• Light weight
• Corrosion resistant
• Durable

Uses of Aluminum Gearbox

Aluminum gearbox is used in diverse fields and areas including :

• Agro industry
• Food processing
• Sugar industry
• Cement industry
• Steel industry

Bronze Gearbox

Bronze is a type of copper alloy, containing tin in large amount and with
traces of aluminum, phosphorus, silicon and manganese. It has various industrial uses.
Bronze consists of 60% copper and 40% tin. On the other hand, commercial bronze has
90% copper and 10% tin. It is stronger and less brittle than cast iron.
Bronze gearboxes are manufactured from different kinds of bronze to ensure strength,
reliability and long life.

Properties Suitable for Gearbox manufacturing

• Non corrosive
• Durable
• Strong

Use of Bronze Gearbox

Bronze gearboxes find application in a number of fields including :

• Mining industry
• Power industry
• Conveyors
• Heavy industrial machines
• Paper and pulp industry

Stainless Steel Gearbox

Stainless steel is a ferrous alloy containing minimum of 10% chromium and

other elements. The low maintenance, relatively inexpensive metal is commonly used for
many industrial and commercial applications. Stainless steel is also used to manufacture
gearboxes.

The metal has not gained much popularity with the speed reducer manufacturers due to
high cost factor. A stainless steel gearbox costs roughly twice as much as its cast iron
counterpart.

Stainless steel gearboxes are compactly designed and allow higher speeds and torque.
These gearboxes having a high resistance to corrosion are compatible with caustic
agents and also have the ability to withstand harsh chemical processing environments.
High-grade stainless steel material is often used in the food and pharma industry.
Properties Suitable for Gearbox Manufacturing

• Anti corrosion
• Anti rusting
• Anti stain
• Recyclable

Use of Stainless Steel Gearbox

The material is used in a number of areas including :

• Food processing industry

• Packaging equipment
• Conveyors
• Pharmaceutical industry
• Chemical industry