20:1 planetary reduction, 40 mm frame
The GBX0400200554F is a 40 mm-diameter planetary gearbox from Schneider Electric's GBX series, delivering a 20:1 reduction ratio. It's built for precision motion control applications where a compact inline form factor and moderate torque density are required — think indexing tables, pick-and-place axes, or conveyor drives that need a repeatable position hold. Continuous output torque is 20 N.m at 100 rpm, with a peak of 32 N.m available for transient loads. The 94 % efficiency figure means only 6 % of input power is lost as heat through the straight-tooth mesh — a solid number for a single-stage planetary at this ratio.
Backlash, rigidity, and load ratings
Maximum torsional backlash is 28 arc.min — this is a standard-precision grade, not a zero-backlash unit. If your application requires bidirectional positioning repeatability under 0.5°, this gearbox will introduce hysteresis that the downstream encoder or servo loop must absorb. Torsional rigidity is 1.1 N.m/arcmin, giving a stiffness figure that lets you calculate windup under load. At the continuous 20 N.m rating, expect roughly 18 arcmin of elastic deflection before the backlash gap is taken up. Radial and axial force limits are derated with service life: at 100 rpm and 30 °C, the output shaft handles 200 N radial (mid-span) and 200 N axial for a 10,000-hour life, dropping to 160 N for the full 30,000-hour rating. These are the constraints that govern belt-drive or direct-coupling designs — overshoot them and the bearing life collapses.
Sourcing reality — obsolete, quoted to order
Schneider Electric lists the GBX0400200554F as obsolete. This part is available through independent surplus and broker channels — quantities are lot-specific and confirmed at RFQ. For a BOM that requires this exact frame size and ratio, the only path is a last-time-buy or a functional replacement with a different mounting interface.
Environmental and mechanical envelope
The housing is black anodized aluminium, the shaft is C45 carbon steel. The gearbox is lubricated for life, so no maintenance schedule for oil changes. Noise level is 55 dB at 1 m, no-load — quiet enough for a lab or light assembly environment but not silent. The straight-tooth geometry generates more whine than helical gears at higher speeds; at 100 rpm it's well within that rating.