Different Types of Industrial Gearboxes and Their Most Common Applications

A machine’s gearbox is a necessary component utilized in many different sectors and industries. Increasing output torque or changing the motor’s speed (RPM) are the two main goals of gearboxes. The motor shaft is connected to one end of the gearbox, and the gear arrangement’s output torque and speed are determined by the gear ratio. Agriculture, industrial, construction, mining, and automotive equipment all require various gearbox designs and specifications, which come in a variety of combinations. This article will look at the many types of transmissions and their main traits.

Read More: Types of Industrial gearboxes

Industrial Gearboxes in Different Designs

Below is a summary of the six most popular types of industrial gearbox.

The Helical Gearbox

Small and energy-efficient is the helical gearbox. Although there are many industrial uses for this equipment, heavy-duty work is its main function. The helical gearbox finds widespread application in heavy industrial settings such as the plastics, cement, and rubber sectors. This substance might be useful in low-power applications including conveyors, extruders, coolers, and crushers.

Because of its angled mounting, the helical gearbox is unique in that it permits many teeth to engage in the same direction while in motion. For a predetermined amount of time, this guarantees constant contact.

The Coaxial Helical Inline Gearbox.

Applications needing strong performance are best suited for the coaxial helical gearbox. Coaxial helical intake lines are widely recognized for their high caliber and efficiency. Because they are made in accordance with strict specifications, you may maximize the load and transmission ratios.

Bevel Helical Gearbox

The cone-shaped surface next to the gearbox’s rim is home to a set of curved teeth that set it apart from other types. Rotational motion between non-parallel shafts is produced by the bevel helical gearbox. Conveyors, the mining industry, and quarries are common applications.

The Skew Bevel Helical Gearbox.

The skew bevel helical gearbox is appropriate for use with big weights and other applications due to its sturdy and monolithic design. These industrial gearboxes offer mechanical advantages after they are installed on the proper motor shaft output. They are very adjustable based on the number of teeth and gears. As such, it’s usually possible to find one that fits your needs.

Worm Reduction Gearboxes

Worm reduction gearboxes power demanding operations. When a greater speed reduction between crossing, non-intersecting axis shafts is needed, these gearboxes are employed. A large-diameter worm wheel is used in this type of industrial gearbox. The worm or screw engages with the gearbox’s outer gearbox teeth. The worm’s revolution causes the wheel to rotate similarly, giving it a screw-like motion. Minerals, chemicals, and fertilizers are the heavy industries that employ the bulk of these gearboxes.

The Planetary Gearbox

The Sun Gear, which is in the middle of a Planetary Gearbox, is surrounded by three or four planet gears. An internal toothed ring gear holds them all together. By dispersing power equally throughout the gears, this design enables a planetary gear system to provide great torque in a small space. Modern technology, such as 3D printing and robotics, frequently uses this kind of gearbox.

Because of its specialized functionality, precision, and longevity, the planetary gearbox is ideal for demanding applications. Your equipment will function better and last longer with this kind of gearbox. Planetary gearboxes can be mounted via a flange, shaft, or foot, and they come in both hollow and solid configurations.

A Range Of Vehicle Gearbox Types

This page describes several types of car gearboxes.

The Manual Transmission

When using a manual gearbox, the driver selects all ratios by hand using a movable gear selector and a driver-driven clutch. This kind of transmission is sometimes called a “stick shift” or a “conventional” transmission.

Transmission with sliding gears

Only vehicles from bygone eras use sliding-gear transmissions. The cluster gear and primary driving gear within the transmission case rotate when the gearbox is in neutral. Pushing the clutch pedal moves the shifter handle, which transfers power to the drive wheels (front or rear). The shift linkage, forks, and gear directly above the cluster gear are all moved along the main shaft by turning the shifter handle.

Transmission in Constant Mesh

The driving gear, cluster gear, and main shaft gears are kept in constant motion using continuous-mesh transmissions, sometimes referred to as synchronized transmissions. This makes sense as the gears are free to rotate around the main shaft. These gears may be locked into place as needed by using a dog clutch. The primary shaft gear teeth of the dog clutches interlock and hold the gear in place when the shift linkage is shifted. Synchronizers prevent grinding or clashing when shifting in constant-mesh gearboxes.

Pre-selector Transfer

Automakers experimented with design, and manual gearboxes followed suit, evolving and changing over time like everything else. Before automated transmissions were developed, there was a manual transmission method called Wilson Pre-selector.

The Automatic Transmission

Automatic transmissions work differently from manual transmissions, even though practically all manual transmissions follow the same guidelines. The driver will be able to identify Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive, even with additional options like Sport and manual shift mode, regardless of how an automated gearbox functions inside. An electrical switch that relays an instruction to the gearbox’s software is all that an automated transmission gear lever is. Consequently, instead of utilizing the conventional levers to operate the gearbox, designers are instead utilizing buttons, paddles, or dials.

The torque converter

The most common type of automatic gearbox transfers the engine’s rotational force to the wheels via a torque converter. A torque converter is a fluid connection that permits engine-less acceleration and deceleration, albeit the bent turbine blades inside the converter result in a reduction in efficiency. The smooth acceleration from low speeds and responsiveness at low engine rpm of this type of gearbox make it useful.

Automatic/Manual Transmission

Using a traditional clutch and gear arrangement, an automated-manual transmission mimics the use of manual gears by use of sensors, actuators, processors, and pneumatics. Though they have great fuel efficiency over extended distances, these cars are infamous for their jerky engine performance at low speeds and difficult acceleration.

DCT, or dual-clutch transmissions

For cars running on gasoline and diesel, this gearbox type is swiftly taking the lead in automatic transmission usage. While Porsche prefers to refer to it as PDK, Audi adds complexity by calling it an S-Tronic. The majority of Volkswagen Group brands, including VW, SEAT, and Skoda, refer to it as a DSG (direct shift gearbox).

Similar to a single-clutch transmission, this type of gearbox offers a direct feeling of operation, but it is frequently far more comfortable and economical. It may, for the most part, offer better performance and fuel economy than a manual gearbox. Switching between the first and reverse modes could be difficult, and there might still be some jerkiness at low speeds.

CVT, or Continuously Variable Transmission

Gears are absent from a CVT. It uses a cone shape instead, which has a band and an additional axle. The length of the band and, thus, the gear ratio may be changed by moving it up and down the cone. Theoretically, it allows for infinitely variable ratios between its upper and lower limits, enabling it to always be properly tuned for performance or fuel efficiency. For hybrid cars, which could use a CVT to balance the workload of the electric motor and gasoline engine, this is quite helpful.