Despite the word ‘transmission’ being used for both gearbox and transmission synonymously, they are related, but not the same. Thus, search engines mix all the search results for auto ‘transmission repair’ and industrial ‘gearbox repair’ together.
search engines don't discern industry from auto transmission
If you own a car and search for transmission repair shops, you may find some of the results include companies that don’t repair auto transmissions. What is the difference between auto transmission and industrial transmission?
automobiles use transmissions
Yes. A combustion engine car transmission also has a gearbox bolted to the back of an auto transmission which is separated by a clutch. In a nutshell, a transmission switches gears to increase /decrease speed and/or torque. So when most people conduct an internet search to repair any one of those three parts, they use the single term, ‘transmission’ in their ‘transmission repair’ searches. The bottom line, most people think a transmission, (clutch) and gearbox are one in the same.
industry manufacturers use gearboxes
Industries such as manufacturing use gearboxes beyond the automobile application. Yes. Industrial transmissions and gearboxes are similar in function but the key difference between a gearbox and transmission is the former’s ability to function across different mechanisms; so while the gearbox portion of a transmission is often found in automobiles they are not exclusively so!
A gearbox and transmission are not the same
If you’ve ever done an internet search for gearbox or transmission repair, you may have noticed that the results can be quite similar. This is because both gearboxes and transmissions serve similar purposes: they are both devices that transfer power from one place to another. However, there are some key differences between gearboxes and transmissions that make them two very different devices.
GEARBOX AND TRANSMISSION SIMILARITIES DIVERGE QUICKLY
Both gearboxes and transmissions are necessary components in many different types of machines. Without a gearbox or transmission, power would not be able to be transferred from the engine to the wheels or from the motor to the conveyor belt.
There are some gearboxes that are designed for both industrial and automotive applications, but these are typically called “transaxles” rather than gearboxes or transmissions. Transaxles are designed to be able to transfer power to both the wheels and a secondary device, such as a snowblower or lawn mower.
THINK, GEARBOX = INDUSTRY
Gearboxes are typically used in industrial applications, such as in factories or warehouses. They are designed to transfer power from a large motor to a smaller device, such as a conveyor belt or machine. This is the area of transmission repair or gearbox repair Power Transmission Services provides professional services which include gearbox remanufacturing, 24-hour emergency gearbox repair to preventative services such as gearbox maintenance.
THINK, TRANSMISSION = AUTO
Transmissions, on the other hand, are typically used in automotive applications. They are designed to transfer power from the engine of a vehicle to the wheels.
ADD INDUSTRY TO YOUR SEARCH AND BOTH ARE THE SAME
So, what is the difference between gearboxes and transmissions? Gearboxes are designed for industrial applications and are typically used to transfer power from a large motor to a smaller device. Transmissions are designed for automotive applications and are typically used to transfer power from the engine of a vehicle to the wheels. Transaxles are gearboxes that are designed for both industrial and automotive applications and are able to transfer power to both the wheels and a secondary device.
THE KEY TO ACCURATE SEARCH RESULTS
Searching for ‘gearbox repair’ should result in only industrial gearbox repair facilities while transmission repair absent the qualifier ‘industrial’ would then list only auto transmission repair shops.
