40:1 planetary reduction with 94% efficiency
The GBX1200401401F is a straight-tooth planetary gearbox from Schneider Electric's GBX series, delivering a 40:1 reduction ratio in a 120 mm diameter package. Continuous output torque is 230 N.m at 100 rpm, with a maximum intermittent rating of 368 N.m at the same speed — the limiting factor is the duty cycle, not the gear train. Efficiency sits at 94 %, which means about 6 % of input power is lost to friction and churning losses in the lubricant — typical for a single-stage planetary with straight teeth. The noise floor is 65 dB at 1 m under no-load, a figure that rises under load as tooth contact stress increases.
Load ratings and bearing life at 100 rpm
Rated service life is 30,000 hours at 100 rpm and 30 °C ambient — that's about 3.4 years of continuous operation. At that same speed and temperature, the output shaft can handle 2100 N axial force (Fa) and 1500 N radial force (Fr) applied at mid-span of the shaft. Push to 10,000-hour life and those numbers climb to 2800 N axial and 2000 N radial, but the bearing L10 life shortens accordingly. Torsional rigidity is 13 N.m/arcmin — the shaft twists about 0.077 arcmin per N.m of applied torque. Maximum torsional backlash is 12 arcmin, which is standard for a commercial planetary without anti-backlash preloading. For positioning applications requiring better than 0.2° repeatability, this gearbox needs an external encoder on the load side.
Obsolete — sourced through surplus channels
Schneider Electric lists this part as obsolete. That means the GBX1200401401F is available only through independent surplus and broker channels, not from the factory or authorized distribution. The housing is black anodized aluminium with a C45 steel output shaft. Shaft output seal is rated IP54 — splash-proof but not submersible. The gearbox is lubricated for life at the factory; there is no oil fill plug or drain, so re-greasing is not part of the maintenance schedule.
Integration constraints for a replacement
Operating ambient range is -25 to 90 °C, which covers most indoor industrial environments but not washdown zones or outdoor direct sunlight without a sunshade. The 120 mm body diameter and 40:1 ratio are the two dimensions that must match the existing mounting bracket and motor shaft alignment — if your BOM calls for a different frame size, this gearbox will not bolt up without an adapter plate. For a legacy part sourced surplus, the buyer typically accepts the unit as-is with no factory certificate of conformity — verify with the seller whether a declaration is available before committing to a regulated install.