Clean, Quiet, and Safe Motion — Powered by Non-Contact Technology
- No particle generation from tooth surface wear
- Operates without the need for Lubrication
- Barrier transmission allows for seal-less designs
- Low noise and vibration due to non-contact power transmission
- Easier assembly with high angular and eccentric misalignment tolerance
- Magnetic slip under overload enhances safety conditions
Ideal Industries
- Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment
- Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, and Food Processing Equipment
- Medical Devices
- Pumps, Fluid Handling, and Sealed Systems
- Chemical Processing
- Collaborative and Service Robots
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What Are Magnetic Gears?
A magnetic gear (non-contact gear) is a toothless power transmission component that uses the magnetic force generated by permanent magnets such as neodymium magnets to transmit rotational speed and torque between two shafts without physical contact. Because power is transmitted without contact, magnetic gears offer unique advantages over conventional mechanical gears.
Learn more in the “Principle of Magnetic Gears” section below
Left: Conventional spiral bevel gears
Center: Magnetic bevel gears
Right: Magnetic pole configuration
Magnetic Gear Product Lineup
A combination of a disc and a cylindrical element, equivalent to bevel gears in conventional gearing, used to transmit torque and rotational speed between perpendicular shafts.
** Currently, supply is limited due to material shortages **
A combination of cylindrical elements, equivalent to screw gears in conventional gearing, used to transmit torque and rotational speed between skew shafts.
** Currently, supply is limited due to material shortages **
A cost-effective version of Magnetic Screw Gears. The magnet portions are epoxy-coated, while the yoke has no surface treatment.
Magnet couplings are mechanical components that use magnetic force to transmit power contactlessly between two rotating shafts. The maximum transmissible torque varies depending on the size.
Magnetic couplings with a protective cover, designed for transmitting torque across a barrier.
Couplings with a resin (PVC) cover are suitable for acidic environments, while those with a stainless steel (SUS) cover can be used in submerged applications.
A coaxial cylindrical magnetic coupling designed to prevent thrust generation, transmitting torque while absorbing axial vibration.
Magnetic gears equivalent to conventional spur gears, used to transmit torque and speed between two parallel shafts.
Non-contact magnetic variable-speed gears offering a high degree of design flexibility in gear ratios.
A cylindrical-type non-contact magnetic transmission gear capable of both speed increase and reduction.
Functions as a standard coupling under normal torque conditions. When the torque exceeds the allowable limit, it begins to slip as a torque limiter. Thanks to a specially engineered magnetic material, the slip is smooth and continuous, without the jerky motion typical of conventional mechanisms.
Non-contact linear actuators using magnetic force. Ideal for transport applications in cleanroom environments. They require no wiring like conventional linear motors and can be extended to virtually unlimited lengths.
A non-contact version of conventional rack and pinion systems, using magnetic force to convert rotational motion into linear motion.
Key Features of Magnetic Gears & Couplings
No particle generation caused by tooth surface wear :
In conventional gears, direct contact between tooth surfaces inevitably generates minute wear particles. Insufficient lubrication can further accelerate wear, leading to increased particle generation. In applications requiring high cleanliness, such as semiconductor manufacturing equipment, contamination from these particles may adversely affect equipment performance and product quality. In contrast, magnetic gears transmit power without tooth contact, fundamentally eliminating particle generation caused by tooth surface wear. This makes them particularly suitable for cleanroom and other contamination-sensitive applications.
Lubrication-free operation :
Conventional gears transmit power through direct contact between tooth surfaces, making lubrication essential in many applications. Users must select appropriate lubrication methods and lubricants, while also managing oil starvation and periodic replacement, which can increase maintenance effort and operating costs. In cleanroom and vacuum environments, additional concerns such as lubricant splashing, evaporation, oil mist generation, grease outgassing, and particle adhesion must also be considered. In contrast, magnetic gears transmit power through magnetic force without physical contact, eliminating the need for tooth surface lubrication. This helps reduce maintenance requirements, minimize equipment downtime, and support cleaner operating environments.
Barrier transmission enables seal-less structures :
Magnetic gears transmit torque without physical contact between the driving and driven rotors. As a result, power can be transmitted through a non-magnetic barrier such as resin or stainless steel, eliminating the need for shaft penetrations or conventional sealing mechanisms. This enables seal-less structures in applications such as food processing equipment, where a motor outside a sealed chamber can drive an internal mixing component without contact, helping reduce contamination risks and improve cleanability. Power can also be transmitted into liquid-filled containers without through-holes, reducing leakage risks and simplifying system design. The transmitted torque depends on factors such as the magnet gap and the material and thickness of the barrier, which should be considered during the design process.
Low noise and vibration through non-contact power transmission :
In mechanical design, reducing vibration and noise in drive systems is an important challenge that directly affects product performance and added value. Conventional gears transmit power through physical tooth engagement, and therefore some vibration and noise may occur due to factors such as meshing impacts, machining accuracy, assembly errors, and lubrication conditions. In contrast, magnetic gears transmit power through magnetic interaction without physical tooth contact. As a result, vibration and noise caused by tooth collision and friction do not occur, enabling quieter and smoother operation compared with conventional mechanical gears. This characteristic makes magnetic gears an effective option for applications where low noise, low vibration, and stable operation are important requirements.
Easier assembly with high angular and eccentric misalignment tolerance :
Conventional mechanical gears require high assembly accuracy because power is transmitted through direct tooth contact. Precise control of center distance, backlash, and tooth contact is essential, and insufficient accuracy can result in abnormal wear, tooth damage, increased noise, and vibration. In contrast, magnetic gears transmit torque without physical contact and tolerate a certain degree of center distance variation, angular misalignment, and positional offset, making assembly and maintenance easier. However, if the air gap between magnetic poles becomes too large, the transmissible torque decreases and loss of synchronization (slip) may occur.
Magnetic slip under overload helps improve safety :
Magnetic gears feature a built-in torque limiting function enabled by non-contact power transmission through permanent magnets. Under normal conditions, torque is transmitted synchronously between the input and output shafts. However, when the load exceeds the allowable transmissible torque, magnetic slip occurs, preventing excessive torque transmission.
This helps protect motors and surrounding equipment from overload conditions such as sudden stoppages or foreign object intrusion. Because there is no tooth contact, tooth surface damage and wear particle generation are also avoided. In addition, no separate mechanical torque limiter is required, helping simplify system design.
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Principle of Magnetic Gears
Magnetic gears are mechanisms that transmit torque without physical contact between teeth, unlike conventional mechanical gears. Instead, they utilize magnetic forces generated by permanent magnets such as neodymium magnets.1. Torque Transmission Mechanism
A typical magnetic gear consists of a pair of rotors with alternating north (N) and south (S) magnetic poles arranged along their circumference. These magnetic poles interact across an air gap, generating attractive forces between opposite poles and repulsive forces between like poles. When the driving rotor rotates, this magnetic interaction transmits torque to the driven rotor, causing both rotors to rotate synchronously without physical contact.
The image shows examples of magnetic gears magnetized with 12 poles.
2. Relationship Between Speed Ratio and Torque
The rotational speed ratio is determined by the ratio of the number of magnetic poles on each rotor.
- Reduction: When power is transmitted from a rotor with fewer poles to one with more poles, the rotational speed decreases and the output torque increases.
- Acceleration: When power is transmitted from a rotor with more poles to one with fewer poles, the rotational speed increases and the output torque decreases.
Thus, as with conventional mechanical gears, speed and torque are generally in an inverse relationship: when rotational speed decreases, torque increases; when speed increases, torque decreases. However, in practical systems, losses may occur, so the actual torque increase may not exactly match theoretical values.
3. Air Gap
In magnetic gears, the transmissible torque depends on the size of the air gap (the distance between the rotors). As the air gap increases, the magnetic flux density decreases, weakening the magnetic interaction (attractive and repulsive forces) between the rotors, and consequently reducing the transmissible torque.
4. Lost Motion
Since magnetic gears do not have physical tooth engagement, they do not exhibit backlash as seen in conventional mechanical gears. On the other hand, magnetic gears have a unique phenomenon known as “lost motion.” Lost motion refers to the delay in the response of the driven rotor when the driving rotor starts or stops rotating. This delay is caused by the elastic nature of the magnetic coupling arising from the attractive and repulsive forces between magnetic poles. The magnitude of lost motion varies depending on conditions such as transmitted torque, the strength and size of the magnets, and the number of poles. Therefore, in high-precision positioning applications, synchronization applications, servo control systems, and similar uses, it is necessary to sufficiently consider the effects of lost motion during system design.
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Applications of Magnetic Gears
Typical applications of magnetic gears include:
Semiconductor manufacturing equipment
Magnetic gears for semiconductor manufacturing equipment transmit power without contact, which prevents the generation of wear particles and eliminates the need for lubrication, making them well suited for cleanroom environments. In addition, the absence of wear results in a long service life and reduced maintenance requirements. Their low vibration and low noise characteristics also contribute to stable equipment operation. These features make their superior cleanliness and maintainability a key advantage.
Medical devices
Magnetic gears offer key advantages in medical devices through their non-contact drive, which enhances hygiene and safety. Because there is no physical wear, they help reduce the risk of contamination from wear particles and lubricants in surgical equipment and diagnostic systems. In addition, their low noise operation helps ease patient anxiety, and their inherent slip mechanism under overload conditions suppresses equipment damage, contributing to stable and reliable operation.
Food processing machinery
The advantages of magnetic gears in food processing machinery can be summarized in the following three points. First, because torque is transmitted without contact, no wear particles are generated and no lubricating oil or grease is required, thereby helping to reduce the risk of foreign matter contamination in food. Second, the structure includes gaps between components, which provides excellent cleanability and makes it easy to maintain hygienic conditions. Third, in the event of an overload, slipping occurs, which helps suppress the risk of mechanical damage and leads to reduced maintenance effort and cost.
In addition, because they enable non-contact power transmission with no particle generation and no need for lubrication, magnetic gears are widely used in machinery and equipment where cleanliness, sealing performance, low noise and vibration, maintainability, and safety are required.
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Safety Precautions for Use
- Magnetic gears generate strong magnetic forces. Please handle with care to ensure safety and prevent damage to the product.
- Particular caution should be taken to avoid finger injuries caused by pinching between magnetic components.
- Due to the strong magnetic attraction, once magnets come into contact, separation may be difficult. Exercise caution during installation.
Precautions for Magnetic Gear Performance
- Magnetic gears may exhibit lost motion, making them unsuitable for applications requiring precise positioning.
- Performance and allowable torque vary depending on temperature. Please ensure the operating temperature conditions are specified prior to use.
- Corrosion may degrade performance. Please take appropriate measures based on the operating environment.