A gear reducer, also known as a speed reducer and gearbox, is a power transmission device that reduces the input rotational speed. Reducers help increase the torque of the motor and allow a receiving device to rotate under the impact of the created torque. These devices improve the efficiency of operations. For example, motors are usually designed to run at a specific RPM. Although this speed can be adjusted by using a variable frequency drive, in many cases it is more advantageous to use a specific set of gears to adjust the speed.

No fragments, no need for lubrication, and no wear. These speed reducers are indeed very enticing advantages of a new type of gear reducer that has seen a substantial rise in popularity in recent years. As the name suggests, this type uses magnetic attraction to ensure speed and torque increase, instead of moving gears against each other. But with today’s technology magnetic gears suffer from a higher weight and relatively low torque output compared to their conventional counterparts. Therefore, they remain special solutions for specific cases such as applications with high maintenance costs and operations in harsh environments.

Gearboxes are found in all areas of industry – in aggregate processing, agriculture, chemical processing, oil and gas, transmission and distribution systems, logistics, warehousing, and storage to name but a handful. Gear reducers are commonly found in areas where higher torque and/or lower rotational speed is needed, or if power needs to be transmitted at an alternative angle, such as at a right angle to the motor. It is also possible to change rotational direction as well – clockwise vs. counterclockwise.