Cycloidal gearboxes
Cycloidal gearboxes or reducers contain four simple components: a high-speed input shaft, a single or substance cycloidal cam, cam followers or rollers, and a slow-speed output shaft. The insight shaft attaches to an eccentric drive member that induces eccentric rotation of the cycloidal cam. In substance reducers, the first tabs on the cycloidal cam lobes engages cam fans in the casing. Cylindrical cam followers act as teeth on the inner gear, and the amount of cam fans exceeds the number of cam lobes. The second track of substance cam lobes engages with cam followers on the output shaft and transforms the cam’s eccentric rotation into concentric rotation of the output shaft, thus raising torque and reducing rate.

Compound cycloidal gearboxes offer ratios ranging from only 10:1 to 300:1 without stacking phases, as in regular planetary gearboxes. The gearbox’s compound decrease and will be calculated using:

where nhsg = the amount of followers or Cycloidal gearbox rollers in the fixed housing and nops = the number for followers or rollers in the slow rate output shaft (flange).

There are several commercial variations of cycloidal reducers. And unlike planetary gearboxes where variations derive from gear geometry, heat therapy, and finishing procedures, cycloidal variations share basic design principles but generate cycloidal movement in different ways.
Planetary gearboxes
Planetary gearboxes are made of three fundamental force-transmitting elements: a sun gear, three or more satellite or planet gears, and an internal ring gear. In a typical gearbox, the sun gear attaches to the insight shaft, which is connected to the servomotor. The sun gear transmits engine rotation to the satellites which, in turn, rotate inside the stationary ring gear. The ring gear is part of the gearbox housing. Satellite gears rotate on rigid shafts connected to the planet carrier and trigger the earth carrier to rotate and, thus, turn the output shaft. The gearbox gives the output shaft higher torque and lower rpm.