A planetary gearbox (also known less excitingly as an
epicyclic gear system) is an arrangement of gears named due to its resemblance
to the solar system. The three main components of a planetary gear system are:
Ring gear
Also known as an annulus, this is the outermost gear with
inward-facing teeth which mesh with the inner planet gears.
Sun gear
Just as the Sun is located in the centre of the solar
system, a sun gear sits at the heart of a planetary gearset.
Planet gears
Two or more planet gears orbit the sun gear and also mesh
with the ring gear.
Unlike some gear systems, any of these three elements can be
used as the input or the output. Planetary gearboxes tend to be used in
applications requiring high torque-to-weight ratio such as lifts, cranes and
machine tools in agriculture, marine industry and power plants.
Pros
- Very efficient power transmission
- Compact arrangement
- Shared load distribution increases torque
Cons
- Limited accessibility
- Complex design
- Driver and driven equipment must be in line to avoid extra gearing
Gibbons stock a range of high-performance transmission
systems, including gearboxes built by industry-leading manufacturers such as
Bonfiglioli, Sumitomo and Nord. Find out more by calling 01621 868138 or email info@gibbonsgroup.co.uk and one of
our expert engineers will get back to you.
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