can gearbox replaced by Torque motors?

[summa1]

Can gearbox replaced by Torque motors? If yes how long it will take to become commercially viable?

 

[BrianE22]

I know there are "Direct Drive" rotary tables for machining. They do away with the gearbox and use permanent magnet motors. I know Hardinge sells one.

 

[Occupant]

There are a lot of companies that make direct drive motors and they don't require gear reducers because of their high torque and low speed characteristics. Every time I planned on using one, though, I found pricing to be prohibitive. It's cheaper to use a normal AC-Motor including the gear box.

 

[MikeHalloran]

Torque motors have been produced commercially for decades, but not as a commodity. They are typically custom- designed to exert a controlled torque, not a particular speed, and may not be capable of even one revolution.

Recent advances in linear motors (and derivative arcuate motors) may have improved or subsumed torque motors, I'm not sure which.


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA