What are the differences between gear reducers, speed reducers, and gearboxes?

Gearmotor = Reducer?

Gearmotors and speed reducers usually refer to the same type of mechanical transmission device, in many cases can be common, although there are some subtle differences:

I. Conceptual scope

1. Reduction gear: Generally speaking, the term “reduction gear” is more colloquial and broader in actual use. It usually covers all kinds of gearboxes, including different types of gearboxes with different structures and for different purposes. - For example, in some industrial production occasions and daily communication, people may refer to any equipment with the function of speed reduction as a speed reducer, without necessarily distinguishing strictly between its specific type and structural characteristics. 2.

2. Reducer: “Reducer” is relatively a more formal term and is used more frequently in specialized fields and technical documents. It emphasizes the function of precise reduction of speed, usually refers to those carefully designed, with a specific reduction ratio and performance indicators of the transmission device.

Second, the structural characteristics

1. Reducer: The structural form is more diversified, which can be a simple gear combination or a complex planetary gear system, worm gear structure, etc.. Some reducers may have a more compact structure, suitable for occasions with limited space; others may be larger in size and have a stronger load-bearing capacity. For example, the miniature reducer used on small DC motors has a compact and lightweight structure and usually adopts a planetary gear structure to realize the requirements of high reduction ratio and small size.

2. Reducer: Generally has a more standardized structural design, usually including the input shaft, output shaft, gear set, case and other major components. The design of the case usually pays more attention to the sealing and rigidity, in order to ensure the accuracy and stability of the gear transmission. - For example, large industrial gearboxes, the case is usually made of high-strength cast iron, the internal gears through precision machining and heat treatment to meet the heavy-duty and high-precision transmission requirements.

Three, application areas

1. Reduction gears: The application range is very wide, from small household appliances to large-scale industrial equipment may be used in reduction gears. For example, in small products such as toys, power tools, office equipment, etc., miniature speed reducers are often used to reduce the speed of the motor and increase the output torque. - In some light industrial fields, such as food processing and packaging machinery, various types of reducers are also used to meet different transmission needs.

2. Reducer: mainly used in industrial production areas, especially in heavy-duty, high-precision transmission occasions. For example, in mining machinery, metallurgical equipment, lifting and transportation machinery and other large-scale industrial equipment, reducer plays a vital role. In some need to accurately control the speed and torque of the occasion, such as automated production lines, CNC machine tools, etc., will also use high-performance reducer to ensure the normal operation of the equipment.