A speed reducer is an independent component consisting of gear drives, worm gear drives, or gear-worm gear drives enclosed in a rigid housing. It is commonly used as a speed reduction transmission device between a prime mover and a driven machine, matching speeds and transmitting torque between the prime mover and the driven machine or actuator. Speed reducers are widely used in modern machinery. They are generally used in low-speed, high-torque transmission equipment. Speed reduction is achieved by a small gear on the input shaft meshing with a large gear on the output shaft; the ratio of the number of teeth on the small and large gears is the transmission ratio.
There are many types of speed reducers. According to transmission type, they can be divided into gear reducers, worm gear reducers, and planetary gear reducers, etc. Different types of speed reducers have different characteristics. For example, worm gear reducers have a reverse self-locking function, planetary reducers have a compact structure and high precision, and gear reducers have high transmission efficiency.
