Simple Machines:

Gears, Velocity
Ratios and
Mechanical
Advantage

What is a simple
machine?
A device which uses
basic mechanisms to
make work easier for the
user.
Example: Lifting a heavy
box with a rope and pulley
system

Simple machines are

found in many
transportation devices
such as the following:
Cars
Bicycles
Trains

What are gears and why

are they so useful?
Gears are toothed
wheels which interlock
to form simple
machines.
The tighter the joint, the
less chance of slipping
Gears range in size but
the important number is
how many teeth a gear
has.

What is a gear ratio?

A gear ratio is the ratio between the driver gear
(the one being powered) and the driven gear
(the one connected to the driver)
Gear Ratios are expressed as fractions and can be
written a number of ways.

1 to 3
1/3
1:3

Always remember that the driven gear will turn in

the opposite direction of the driver gear

What is a pulley?
A wheel with a grove carved around its
circumference in which a rope or belt is
placed to drive the wheel.
Pulleys are used in a number of applications
including:
Elevators
Cranes
Automobiles

A Pulley System

Drawbacks of Pulleys
Pulleys work great as long as the belt which
connects them is tight and both pulleys are
aligned.
Pulleys tend to slip when too much strain is placed
on the system.

How do I calculate my
gear ratio?
A simple equation is used to find the ratio of your gearing system
Number of Teeth on the Driven Gear / Number of Teeth on
the Driver Gear.
Size of the driver pulley/ Size of the driven pulley

What is Velocity Ratio

(VR)?
When calculating for velocity or speed, it is
best to have a ratio in which the driver gear is
larger than the driven gear.
For maximum speed you should always have a
larger driver gear/pulley paired with a smaller
driven gear/pulley.

What is Mechanical
Advantage (MA)?
Reciprocal of velocity
ratio.
Mechanical advantage
describes how much work
can be done based on the
input.
If my system required me
to apply 50 pounds of
force into the system to lift
100 pounds of weight, I
have used MA.

So which do I want?
Higher velocity ratios are better when working
on straight and level surfaces which are
smooth.
Always remember that with a high VR your system
will have very low power.

Higher mechanical advantage systems are

better with inclines surfaces that are bumpy.
With a high MA your system will produce more
power, but will move slower.