What to look for in gearbox
Evaluating which gearbox is the best option for your application might seem simple. You consider the engineering calculations and pick the configuration that fits your requirements. But what many engineers don’t realize is that not all products are rated the same way. This episode of STOBER’s Power Tip explains the criteria you should take into account when selecting a gearbox.
There’s more to evaluating a gearbox
Evaluating which gearbox is the best option for your application might seem simple. You consider the engineering calculations and pick the configuration that fits your requirements. But what many engineers don’t realize is that not all products are rated the same way. This episode of STOBER’s Power Tip explains the criteria you should take into account when selecting a gearbox.
How is the gearbox actually rated?
Nominal, acceleration, and peak torques are often listed. When sizing for your application, you may have to de-rate the gearbox numerous times. Every manufacturer will have a graph or table explaining how to size their product. However, these tables can get complicated quickly.
What is the service factor for each product or series? How many cycles per hour will the unit complete? What life is the product rated for? And what temperature will the gearbox operate in?
All of these areas add up to get the application requirement. You can end up derating the torque by a factor greater than 5 times!
Consider how the gearbox is designed.
Are all parts concentric? A gearbox is more than just the housing. The gearing, bearing journals, couplings, housing, and motor adapters all need to have precise tolerances to give the user easy assembly and long life.
How easy is the unit to install?
Some gearboxes require two screws in the coupling. This makes it more tedious and can result in over-torquing or under-torquing the bolts. Some manufacturers have the motor adapter pilot too large, which makes finding the center very difficult.
STOBER makes sizing our products straightforward. Our products are rated for 20,000+ hours of life and we focus on keeping service factors easy to understand. Every product is designed to maintain the center line and toleranced within micros.
Installation is simple. We use one screw that can be torqued 100%. Plus, tolerances on our motor plates make coupling to the motor shaft easy. Or, use a STOBER geared motor and eliminate installation altogether!
Want to learn more? Download our free guide today.
