What is planetary gearbox

Introduction

A planetary gearbox, also known as an epicyclic gearbox or planetary gear set, is a type of gear system used in various mechanical devices to achieve specific speed, torque, and direction of rotation transformations. It is called “planetary” because of the way its components move, which resembles the motion of planets in a solar system.

Helical Planetary Gearbox

A typical planetary gearbox consists of the following main components:

1. Sun Gear: The central gear that is usually the input component where rotational power is applied.

2. Planet Gears: These smaller gears, also called planet gears or planetary gears, are mounted on a carrier and revolve around the sun gear.

3. Carrier: The carrier is a structure that holds and connects the planet gears. It is usually connected to the output shaft.

4. Ring Gear (or Annular Gear): This is an outer gear with internal teeth that encircles the planet gears and meshes with them.

The interaction between these components allows the planetary gearbox to perform several functions, including speed reduction, speed increase, torque multiplication, and direction reversal. The arrangement of the gears and the direction of rotation determine the specific gear ratio and functionality of the gearbox.

Planetary gearboxes are commonly used in various applications, such as automotive transmissions, industrial machinery,cnc, robotics, and aerospace systems. They are valued for their compact size, high efficiency, and versatility in providing different gear ratios and torque outputs within a single unit.