Planetary gearbox, 160 mm frame, 15:1 reduction
The GBX1600150554F is a straight-tooth planetary gearbox from Schneider Electric's GBX series, with a 160 mm outer diameter and a 15:1 reduction ratio. It delivers 700 N.m continuous output torque at 100 rpm (30 °C ambient), with a maximum intermittent torque of 1120 N.m under the same conditions. Rated service life is 30,000 hours at the continuous torque rating and 100 rpm, with the gearbox lubricated for life — no scheduled oil changes in the field.
Torque, backlash, and what they mean for your axis
The 700 N.m continuous rating is the figure that governs steady-state operation — sizing the gearbox for a servo or stepper motor that peaks above this means the duty cycle must allow the gearbox to cool between moves. The 1120 N.m maximum torque covers acceleration peaks and emergency stops, but the 30,000-hour life assumes the continuous limit is respected. Maximum torsional backlash is 10 arc-minutes. For indexing or positioning applications where cumulative error matters, this figure sets the repeatability floor before the motor encoder closes the loop. If the application needs sub-arc-minute positioning, a low-backlash or zero-backlash gearbox is the better fit. Torsional rigidity is 41 N.m/arcmin — the gearbox wind-up under load is predictable, so the servo tune can compensate for the elastic deflection in the drive train.
Sourcing an obsolete gearbox — what to expect
Schneider Electric lists the GBX1600150554F as obsolete. This part is sourced through independent surplus and broker channels. Quantities are lot-specific and confirmed at RFQ time. If you are replacing a failed unit on a live line, the 160 mm body diameter and the 15:1 ratio are the critical dimensions — confirm the output shaft configuration and mounting flange pattern against the original before committing to a substitute gearbox from any source.
Mounting and environmental limits
The housing is black anodized aluminium, 160 mm external diameter. The shaft output seal carries an IP54 rating — this is splash-proof but not washdown-rated; the gearbox should be mounted where it is not directly hosed or submerged. The 700 N.m continuous torque rating is valid at 30 °C; derate above this temperature per the manufacturer's thermal curve (not reproduced here). Maximum axial force on the output shaft is 6000 N for the 30,000-hour life target, or 8000 N if the application accepts a 10,000-hour service life. Maximum radial force (applied at mid-shaft) is 4200 N for 30,000 hours, 6000 N for 10,000 hours. These limits govern bearing life — overshoot them and the gearbox fails before the rated hours.
Efficiency and noise — the thermal and acoustic footprint
Efficiency is listed at 94 %. The 6 % loss is dissipated as heat inside the housing — at 700 N.m and 100 rpm (roughly 7.3 kW input), the heat rejection is about 440 W. The anodised aluminium body relies on natural convection; forced airflow or a larger mounting surface helps if the gearbox is in a confined space. Noise level is 70 dB at 1 m, no-load. Under load the gear whine increases; the straight-tooth design is inherently noisier than helical, so this gearbox is better suited to machine-tool cabinets or enclosed drives than open-floor areas where operator noise exposure is a concern.