Primary Considerations in Selecting a Gear Motor

August 23, 2021

One machine component that certain industries often maximise is the gear motor. It is a small electric motor that is integrated with a gear reducer or gearhead.

What makes a gear motor great for industries is that it saves them from mounting and operating multiple systems. This specific machine component can also let industries remove any unnecessary and time-consuming guesswork of sizing their motor and gear reducer. And by utilising a gear motor, industries can expect improved power management, efficient power utilisation, quieter operations, minimised risks of lubricant leakage, and dismissed bearing alignment problems.

A gear motor can be used for equipment pieces that need high output torque and lower output shaft rotational speed. It may, however, boast some variations that can be great for specific applications. If you are looking for the best gear motor for your equipment, then here are some things you need to consider.

Application Requirements

One of the things that you need to consider when choosing and selecting a gear motor is the application requirements. Some general application requirements that you must consider are the envelope size, mounting orientation, type and size of the mounting, lubrication type, and overhung and side loads. Aside from the general requirements, you must also know your application’s required specifications, which may include its size, weight, and life expectancy. Even the needed application performance and input power source must all be identified for you to obtain the right gear motor.

Type of the Gear Motor

Once you have considered everything about the requirements of your application, you must now proceed and compare them to the available types of gear motor. Universal, brushless DC, AC induction, and permanent magnet gear motors are only some of the common types of the said machine components. At this point, you must identify which specific application requirements matter to you the most. Some may have to prioritise horsepower, while others may need to focus on starting torque. Knowing these things can help you buy the gear motor that fits your needs.

Load Speed and Torque

Two more things that must be considered heavily when picking and selecting a gear motor are the speed and torque requirements of the load. Obtaining these requirements can help you choose the gear motor that can match and handle them easily. Typically, a machine already determines its output speed. The starting and running torque, alternatively, must be calculated by a professional. After getting the load speed and torque, you must maximise the machine’s performance curve to find the most suitable gear motor for the equipment.

Potential Design Limitations

After finding out the load speed and torque, you must ultimately find any potential design limitations of your prospective gear motor. Some elements that may serve as your component’s limitations are running gearbox torque, gearbox yield strength, thermal characteristics, input speed, and duty cycles.

If you have some more questions about gear motors, you can call us at Global Bearing Imports. We have been offering the industry an independent supply chain to all bearing users. We likewise offer superior service and reliability to meet your needs, for both large and small enquiries.

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