[ramsey321]

Ok everyone, what is the best way to get my gear reduction. I am getting conflicting information on which one of these is the better way to go. So which is the best a gearbox or belt reduction unit. I am pushing a 1000 lbs gantry and I would like to maybe get up to 2000 IPM for my rapid. I know I will have a little backlash with the gearbox but it seems all the large named manufactures use the planetary gearboxes. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks

[ger21]

Is this ballscrew or rack and pinon? Large commercial machines using ballscrews always use belt reduction.

[Al_The_Man]

I have used both, it depends a lot on the reduction you are thinking of, on a large Linde gas/plasma retrofit where the gantry weight was considerable, I used a high rpm motor and a 50:1 Bayside planetary G.B. This also economizes on drive and motor size.
Al.

[ramsey321]

I am using a rack and pinion system and will probably shoot for about 5:1 or 10:1 gear reduction. I haven't figured that out yet. Like I said in my previous post most of the large commercial routers use a planetary gearbox. So which one is the best?

[Al_The_Man]

If you are going R&P then the planetary G.B. is most likely the higher precision of these two.
The planetary allows a more compact reduction unit once you get above 5:1.
Otherwise with R&P there is not much between them on the lower ratio's.
Al.

[dmalicky]

As Al said, 5:1 is about the practical limit for a smooth motion transfer in 1 reduction set (for example, 60 teeth and 12 teeth). Also gears are probably 100x stiffer than belts. Stiffness is important for metal, less so for wood. I'd say for a 1000 lb gantry going 2000 ipm with good acceleration, go with gears.

[ramsey321]

Ok thanks that makes sense. I will be cutting all kinds of materials including aluminum, so I will need stiffness. I might not be going 2000 IPM for rapid but it might be close to that.Thanks