Gears and Sprockets - POE

Gears

Mechanisms that transmit rotary motion and torque through interlocking teeth.

Gear Train

A system made when two or more gears are meshed together.

Driver Gear

The gear that initiates motion in a gear train.

Driven Gear

The gear that receives motion from the driver gear.

Idler Gear

A gear that allows the driver and driven gears to rotate in the same direction.

RPM

Revolutions Per Minute, a measure of rotational speed.

Gear Ratio (GR)

The ratio of the number of teeth or diameters of two gears, affecting speed and torque.

Mechanical Advantage (MA)

The ratio of output force to input force in a machine.

Total Gear Ratio

The combined gear ratio of multiple gears in a system.

Compound Machine

A machine made up of two or more simple machines working together.

Angular Velocity (W)

The speed of rotation, often measured in RPM.

Torque (t)

A measure of rotational force applied in a system.

Diametric Pitch

The size of teeth on mating gears, which must be the same for proper meshing.

Gear Ratio Calculation

GR = Nout/Nin = dout/din = ωin/ωout = τout/τin.

Advantages of Pulleys

Quiet operation, no lubrication needed, and low cost.

Advantages of Sprockets

No slip and greater strength in power transmission.

Disadvantages of Pulleys

Can slip under load.

Disadvantages of Sprockets

Higher cost, requires lubrication, and can be noisy.