4:1 reduction, 96 % efficiency — what the numbers mean for the axis
The GBX0400040401D is a 40 mm diameter planetary gearbox with a 4:1 reduction ratio — input speed is divided by four, output torque multiplied by the same factor, minus the 96 % efficiency loss. That 96 % figure means only 4 % of the input power is lost as heat in the gear mesh, so the gearbox runs cool enough to skip forced cooling in most servo-driven axes. Straight-tooth planetary design with 30 arcmin maximum torsional backlash. For positioning applications, that backlash is the lost motion between input and output when the direction reverses — 30 arcmin is a standard-precision class, suitable for general indexing and conveyor positioning but not for zero-backlash cam-follower or high-gain servo loops.
Service life and load limits — 30000 h at 100 rpm
Rated service life is 30000 hours at 100 rpm output speed and 30 °C ambient — that is about 3.4 years of continuous 24/7 operation before the grease degrades and gear wear accumulates. The gearbox is lubricated for life, so no maintenance refill interval; the 30000 h figure is the replacement trigger, not a service reminder. Maximum axial force on the output shaft is 200 N at 100 rpm for the 10000-hour rating, dropping to 160 N for the full 30000-hour life. Radial force follows the same pattern: 200 N at mid-span for 10000 h, 160 N for 30000 h. These are the load limits that govern bearing life — a belt-drive or overhung pinion that exceeds 160 N radial will shorten the gearbox life below the datasheet figure.
Mounting and environment — any position, wide temperature range
Mountable in any position — the planetary design and lifetime grease charge mean no oil level to maintain, so the gearbox can be installed shaft-up, shaft-down, or sideways without derating. Housing is black anodized aluminium with C 45 steel shafts — the anodized surface resists corrosion in humid panel environments, and the C 45 shafts provide adequate hardness for keyed or clamped couplings within the 200 N force envelope.