Printed cycloidal reducer
Print a 20:1 to 40:1 reduction for the cost of filament. Used all over the open-source legged-robot scene because it puts real torque behind a cheap BLDC.
The role it plays
Transmission trades speed for torque between the motor and the load. Every option sits on three axes: ratio, backlash and stiffness. Low ratio with a good encoder is how quasi-direct-drive works; high ratio buys torque but hides the load behind compliance and friction. Pick the ratio from the torque budget first, then the technology that hits it.
Typical use: Hobby quadrupeds, robot arms, anything budget-constrained.
What the numbers actually mean
The headline figure is 20:1 – 40:1 (by design) (ratio), with 0.5 – 2° depending on print quality as the next most load-bearing number (backlash). At $5 in the transmission tier it sits cheap enough to prototype with and replace without regret, which is the correct way to learn a new subsystem.
How it compares
Same subsystem, closest alternatives. The primary spec column is usually the one that decides it.
| Part | Price | Primary spec | Second spec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Printed cycloidal reducer3D-printed reducer | $5 | 20:1 – 40:1 (by design) | 0.5 – 2° depending on print quality |
| Harmonic Drive CSF-14-100Strain-wave reducer | $1.2k | 100:1 | < 1 arcmin |
| Planetary gearbox, NEMA 17, 27:1Planetary reducer | $25 | 27:1 | ~1 – 3° (typical cheap unit) |
| GT2 belt drive, 20T → 60TBelt reduction | $15 | 3:1 (20T driver, 60T driven) | GT2, 2 mm |
| T8 lead screw, 8 mm, 2 mm leadLinear conversion | $12 | 2 mm / rev | up to 500 mm typical |
Where it shows up
Platforms in this atlas that use something in this class: Berkeley Humanoid Lite.