Learn about gear ratios and design better mechanisms for your VEX IQ robot
Calculate and visualize simple gear pairs with interactive animations
Open CalculatorSimulate and analyze the performance of various drive train configurations
Open SimulatorA gear ratio is the relationship between the number of teeth on two gears that are meshed together. The formula for gear ratio is:
For example, if a 12-tooth gear (driving) is meshed with a 36-tooth gear (driven), the gear ratio is 36 ÷ 12 = 3:1
When the driven gear has more teeth than the driving gear.
Results in:
When the driven gear has fewer teeth than the driving gear.
Results in:
General-purpose mechanisms, moderate lifting, balanced performance
High torque applications, lifting, climbing mechanisms
Heavy-duty lifting, powerful pushing mechanisms
Moderate speed increase, balanced mechanisms
Speed-focused mechanisms, rapid movement applications
Very high-speed applications (with lower torque)
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