1. What is Gear Ratio?

The gear ratio is the ratio of the number of teeth on the driven gear to the number of teeth on the driver gear. For multiple gear pairs, it's the product of the individual gear ratios.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the gear ratio formula:

Where:

• Teeth on Driven Gear — Number of teeth on the gear being driven
• Teeth on Driver Gear — Number of teeth on the gear doing the driving
• Π — Product of all gear pair ratios in the system

Explanation: The gear ratio determines the mechanical advantage of a gear system, affecting speed and torque.

3. Importance of Gear Ratio Calculation

Details: Gear ratios are crucial in mechanical design for determining output speed and torque. They're used in vehicles, machinery, clocks, and many other mechanical systems.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of gear pairs, then for each pair enter the teeth count on both driven and driver gears. All values must be positive integers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a gear ratio greater than 1 mean?
A: A ratio > 1 means the output speed is reduced while torque is increased (speed reduction).

Q2: What does a gear ratio less than 1 mean?
A: A ratio < 1 means the output speed is increased while torque is reduced (speed multiplication).

Q3: How does gear ratio affect mechanical advantage?
A: The gear ratio directly determines the mechanical advantage - higher ratio means more torque but less speed.

Q4: Can I calculate ratio for compound gear systems?
A: Yes, this calculator can handle compound systems by treating each gear pair separately.

Q5: What's the difference between driven and driver gears?
A: The driver gear is connected to the power source, while the driven gear receives motion from it.