Robotics: Gears

Understanding Gears
• Gears are rotating parts in a machine with teeth cut around their circumference.
• Teeth on gears are more efficient, preventing power loss from slippage.
• The pitch or spacing of the teeth on the meshing gears must be the same.

Gears in Machines
• Gears transmit power from one part of a machine to another.
• In a bicycle, they transmit power from the pedals to the back wheel.
• In a car, they transmit power from the crankshaft to the driveshaft running under the car.

Gears in Egg Whisks
• Gears increase speed and change direction in an egg whisk.
• The large outer gear wheel meshes with a pair of small gear wheels fitted to the top of the two axles attached to the blades.
• Each rotation of the large wheel makes the smaller wheels turn round several times, giving a dramatic increase in speed at the blades.

Different Ways of Using Gears
• Gears for speed: A simple gearbox has a large gear wheel with 40 teeth, a medium wheel with 20 teeth, and a small wheel with 10 teeth.
• Gears for force: The same gearbox is powered in the opposite direction, allowing the large wheel to spin a quarter as fast but with four times as much force.
• Rack and pinion gears: The steering system on many cars uses rack gears and pinion gear systems.
• Bevel gears: Angled gear wheels, called bevel gears, can change the direction of a machine's power through 90 degrees.

Challenges with Gears
• Gears can give more force but also less speed.
• A pair of gears can't create energy.