Compact, efficient & reliable gear motors | Global Sources
by Vianie Li & Cecile de Veyra
Gear motors, which combine a motor and a gearbox in a single package, are a compact solution for applications requiring high torque and speed reduction. They are used in practically all motorized equipment, with the exception of most fans and pumps, which can do well with stand-alone motors. In recent years, the trend for automation is boosting the need for gear motors, spurring product development that meets a more diverse range of specifications, including for smaller but still efficient and reliable designs.
“Manufacturers are reporting a rise in new applications,” according to Miles Budimir on Motion Control Tips, an online resource covering motion control news and products, automation, motion controllers, encoders, actuators and servo motors. “Bonfiglioli, a manufacturer of gears and gearmotors and other mechanical power transmission components, notes that they have seen an increased demand for factory automation and electrification of off-highway machinery.”
This product category is expected to reach $19.65 billion globally by the end of 2022 and projected to be a $25.88 billion market by 2028, according to Research Reports World.
In China, gear motors have been thriving thanks to robust demand from the robotics, automotive and industrial sectors. Their market scale reached $17.61 billion in 2020 and rose to $18.76 billion the following year, according to Qianzhan Industry Research Institute. This is forecast to go up further to $19.89 billion by end-2022 and $23.03 billion in 2025.
The country was the “highest shareholder country in the Asia Pacific industrial gears market in 2021,” according to AstuteAnalytica India. It owns the largest share in the total gearbox and gear motors market globally based on Frost & Sullivan’s upcoming report.
To take advantage of this captive market, Chinese suppliers of gear motors continue to pursue R&D. They are focusing on small and micromotors, anticipating future market preference for such compact units, and are also improving precision, reliability and durability of all types.
The current high-end crop of China-made gear motors boast power of up to 96kW and efficiency exceeding 95 percent.
There are hundreds of gear motor manufacturers in China, mostly homegrown small and midsize businesses. Ningbo Donly, Xiamen ITG and China High Speed Transmission are some of the major ones.
Almost all Chinese suppliers produce other types of motors and drives, with gear motors representing between 10 and 50 percent of their shipments. They send 10 to 40 percent of products overseas, mainly to Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region.
Many of these companies, including foreign suppliers, have factories in the coastal cities of Ningbo, Nanjing, Suzhou and Shenzhen. A growing number are inland in Xi’an and Chengdu.
Typical selection
Common China-made gear motors are available in variants with a rated power of 5 to 50kW, rotation speed of 5 to 2,000rpm, torque of 1gf.cm to 50kgf.cm, gear ratio of 1:1,000 to 10,000 and efficiency of up to 95 percent. They also have low vibration, noise and power dissipation. Small and micromotors, which come in sizes of 3 to 38mm, have 3 to 24V rated voltage. These dominate shipments.
Chinese manufacturers currently cater to robotics, medical and office equipment applications and the chemical industry. They also offer units for drones, smartphones, beauty equipment and home appliances. Most ensure their products are UL-listed, CE-approved and RoHS-compliant.
OEM and ODM orders are welcome and remain a key source of revenue.
The main components used in the manufacture of gear motors include reducers, shafts, bearings, flanges and cases. They are obtained from domestic or foreign providers, depending on buyers’ requirement.
As with all industries, this electromechanical segment has experienced rising input costs. Suppliers interviewed by Global Sources are optimistic that outlay for materials and components, as well as labor, will not change much in 2023.
1,450 or 1,750rpm speed
Designed for use in floor polishers and cleaners, the YDZ-1500-4A gear motor from Powerstar Motor Mfg Co. Ltd has 110 to 120V and 220V voltage, 50/60Hz frequency and 1,500W power. This 1,450 or 1,750rpm unit, with four poles and 200mm diameter, operates in -10 to 43 C. An order of at least 100 units is for delivery within 25 days.
110rpm±15% speed
Rated at 110rpm±15 percent, the IND-GM030-07290-150-12V gear motor from Shenzhen Ineed Technology Co. Ltd has 2V maximum starting and 12V rated voltages, and 80mA stall and 90mA maximum rated current. The 1,000-unit minimum order is for delivery within 25 days.
32 to 2,000rpm speed
The N20AGB-6020 from Shenzhen Shunchang Motor Co. Ltd is a 12x10x25mm gear motor with 3 to 12V voltage, 32 to 2,000rpm speed range and 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, 150, 210, 298, 380 or 1,000:1 reduction ratio. The minimum order of 100 sets has a lead time of seven days.
5,500±500rpm no load
This 12VDC gear motor from ZJTEX Electric Group Co. Ltd, the ZJ-D2431-111670, has 5,500±500rpm no-load speed and 600:1 gear ratio. The order quantity of 3,000 units has a 25-day lead time.
