1. What is Gear Ratio?

Gear ratio is the ratio of the number of teeth on the driven gear to the number of teeth on the driver gear. It determines the mechanical advantage and speed relationship between two meshing gears.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the gear ratio formula:

Where:

• \( Teeth_{driven} \) — Number of teeth on the driven gear
• \( Teeth_{driver} \) — Number of teeth on the driver gear

Explanation: A gear ratio greater than 1 indicates speed reduction and torque increase, while a ratio less than 1 indicates speed increase and torque reduction.

3. Importance of Gear Ratio

Details: Proper gear ratio selection is crucial for optimizing mechanical systems for desired speed, torque, and power transmission efficiency.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of teeth for both driven and driver gears. Both values must be positive integers (minimum 1 tooth).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between gear ratio and velocity ratio?
A: For ideal gears without slip, they are the same. Gear ratio is based on tooth count while velocity ratio is based on rotational speeds.

Q2: How does gear ratio affect torque?
A: Torque is inversely proportional to speed. Higher gear ratios (greater than 1) increase torque while reducing speed.

Q3: What is a good gear ratio for acceleration?
A: Lower gear ratios (closer to 1:1) generally provide better acceleration at the expense of top speed.

Q4: Can gear ratio be less than 1?
A: Yes, this indicates the driven gear rotates faster than the driver gear (speed increase configuration).

Q5: How does gear ratio affect fuel efficiency?
A: Higher gear ratios (overdrive) at cruising speeds typically improve fuel efficiency by reducing engine RPM.