Gearhead Quick Select Cheat Sheet Produced

DieQua offers a lot of different gearbox technologies to satisfy servo driven motion control applications, many of which look alike. That can sometimes make it difficult for customers to select the proper product for their particular needs.

To aid in narrowing down the model to be considered DieQua has created a quick select cheat sheet highlighting the basic characteristics of our gearhead options. This reference document doesn't help in the selection of a specific part number but rather pinpoints which product group is appropriate for additional investigation.

The basic categories for comparison includes configuration, such as inline or right angle, backlash values available, gear efficiency, gear technology type, appropriate duty cycles, range of ratios and relative cost to each other.

Why do we have so many selection options when most suppliers have a much smaller range of products? It's because different gear technologies have different advantages and disadvantages depending on the particular performance required.

One of the first considerations is whether the gear configuration should be inline or right angle. Inlines in general can be a little cheaper but right angles often provide better design integration and can save some costs through shaft mounting. There are typically more technology options with right angles as well.

Backlash requirements are another variable. Not every application needs low backlash, especially for speed control or when simple profiles are adequate. Lower backlash costs more to achieve. Providing a range of backlash control capabilities gives designers maximum versatility in achieving a cost effective solution.

The efficiency of the gear technology is another consideration. While it would seem that maximum efficiency would always be desirable, this isn't the case. Some applications can take advantage of lower efficiency to help decelerate or hold loads using less motor torque.

A twist in the data is that the lowest efficiency technology is the quietest and has the highest shock capacity. Therefore, identifying low efficiency is just a warning that more torque may be necessary to capitalize on these advantages.

The application's duty cycle can also be a determining factor. For high cycles the gearhead quality and construction are of importance to maintain long life while operating under high dynamics. Lower duty cycles can take advantage of more economical designs to keep costs under control.

The ratio required for reducing speed and reflected inertia is another factor. We offer perhaps the greatest number of ratio options. However, specific models have different ratio options, some of which may add stages at extra cost to get higher reduction.

The cost comparison is actually in relation to each other. When the "high cost" box is checked that just means the product group is more expensive than other product groups. As can be expected, the higher precision products will be more expensive than the economy models.

The document also highlights various industries where each of the products types may be most appropriate. This is by no means limiting as we have provided each of the products to all the industry examples presented.

Narrowing down the options is the first step towards finding the optimal solution for our customer's needs. Having a conversation with a product support specialist is the recommended path for achieving that with more certainty. But when it isn't possible this document can give you a head start prior to digging into engineering catalogs or selection software on your own.