Gear train construction ranges from simple plastic drive-trains for toys to beefy metal gear-trains for extra-high-torque applications.
Applications:
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Robot Drive Trains
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Radio Control Vehicles
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Cordless Tools
Advantages:
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Speed Reduction - Many DC motors simply run too fast to be useful in direct-drive applications.
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Increased Torque - A lot of work can be coaxed from a relatively small motor if fitted with a suitable gear train.
Limitations:
The potential downsides of adding a gear train to a motor include:-
Friction - This is especially a problem with low-cost plastic gear trains used with low-voltage motors. The extra resistance can make these gear-trains balky at low speeds.
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Inertia - This is more of a problem with metal gear-trains. All that additional rotating mass can inhibit rapid acceleration.
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Backlash - Any sloppiness in the gear-train tolerances create slack that must be taken up whenever the direction reverses. This can be a problem in precision motion control applications.