= Gears & Gearboxes =

Goal: Learn the fundamentals and applications of gears and gearboxes

== Introduction ==
'''Why do we use gears?'''\\

The main purpose of gears is to transfer mechanical energy from one shaft to another. Gears can be used to interchange ''rotational speed'' and ''torque''. ''Rotational speed'' is the speed at which the gear and its shaft are rotating, and ''torque'' is the rotational force the gear applies. By changing the ''gear ratio'', you can change the ''rotational speed'' and ''torque'' of the shafts.

On our robotics team, most of [wiki:Motors our motors] rotate their shafts too fast and with not enough torque for our applications. We use gears, sprockets and chain, belts and pulleys, and gearboxes to exchange speed for more torque.

Gearboxes are useful because they hold all the gears in place into one compact box. There is a picture of a gearbox attached to a motor at the bottom of the page.

Gearing can also help adjust the placement of a motor with respect to the axle you wish to rotate using ''idler gears'', ''belts'', etc. You will see some examples throughout the lessons.

'''Here's a diagram of a gear:'''\\
[[Image(Gear_Diagram.jpg)]]

== Basics ==
View in order:
1. Watch this [https://youtu.be/uz436Ixbl-I Gear Introduction Video]
2. Go through this presentation from FRC Team 5256: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QCNvScwu5JSv_iEcl3Hmvv2kbDE-AeP-/view?usp=sharing Gears and Gearboxes]
3. Watch this video on [https://youtu.be/H9_Llzcz2cY Simple Gear System Calculations]

== Advanced ==
If you're interested, you can check out these videos from Engineers Academy:
* [https://youtu.be/k7Zu1QwE-uY Idler Gears]
* [https://youtu.be/lWpQ1GZA2s8 Compound Gears]
* [https://youtu.be/Lp3fhVhm2L8 Planetary Gearing]

== Gears in CAD ==
To learn how to properly CAD gear systems on Onshape from Team 6995, check out this [https://youtu.be/lkE-E7zAk8c video]

== !VersaPlanetary Gearbox ==
We use the [https://www.vexrobotics.com/versaplanetary.html VersaPlanetary Gearbox] to cut down on the rotational speed and increase the torque for [https://motors.vex.com/ VEX motors].

To assemble the gearbox, use the [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jryIdJdArRqhUl3B0psLbRh6bPRykkx4/view?usp=sharing VersaPlanetary User’s Guide]. You can watch a quick tutorial from FRC Team 4327 [https://youtu.be/txfdzPp0qQo here].

[[Image(VersaPlanetary_Gearbox.png)]]