Engineers at the Kazan National Research Technical University named after A.N. Tupolev (KNRTU) have created a design for a new planetary gear motor with an elongated rotor and an additional support. The development is aimed at robotics, delivery systems, lifting mechanisms, and compressors, where precision and reliability are critical.
In the classical design, the rotor is combined with the planetary gear train (sun gear, ring gear, and three planet gears), which provides a high gear ratio with compact dimensions.
However, during prolonged operation there is a risk of jamming due to thermal expansion of the output shaft, KNRTU found.
In the new design, part of the rotor housing was made as a single piece and equipped with an additional bearing support. This redistributes the load, reduces rotor displacement at high speeds, and eliminates contact between the housing and the shaft, the engineers calculated. As a result, the stability of the unit increases, assembly is simplified, and operating accuracy improves.
The university's solution makes it possible to increase the service life of the gear motor without complicating the kinematics and can be used in compact next-generation drives.