Gearing Up

摘要

Gears have been in use since the times of Archimedes and Aristotle, and they continue to play an essential role in mechanical systems across the world. While the basic principles remain the same, the technology has advanced considerably with different gear arrangements offering a variety of benefits for the right application. A gearbox is most commonly designed to provide a reduction in speed from a prime mover (eg electric motor) and deliver the necessary speed and torque for a particular application. The gear ratio is the relationship between input and output speed, with output always defined as unity.