Reduction ratio (input : output)–
Output direction–
Planet gear teeth–
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The Willis equation

Every planetary gearset obeys one rule linking the speeds of sun, ring and carrier: (sun speed minus carrier speed) / (ring speed minus carrier speed) = minus ring teeth / sun teeth. Set any one speed to zero and the ratio between the other two falls out.

Ring held: sun to carrier ratio is 1 + Zr / Zs. Carrier held: sun to ring ratio is Zr / Zs, reversed. Sun held with the carrier as input: carrier to ring ratio is 1 / (1 + Zs / Zr), an overdrive below 1:1.

Try it: with the ring held, drop the sun to 12 teeth and raise the ring to 96. The ratio jumps to 9:1 from a single gear stage, something two plain gears could only do with a very large wheel.

Why the teeth must add up

Planets fill the gap between the sun and the ring, so planet teeth must equal (ring teeth minus sun teeth) / 2. The drawing keeps one set of gear sizes for clarity; the numbers and speeds follow your tooth counts.

How to cite this model

Avid Solutions International. (2026, November 11). How a planetary gearset changes speed [Interactive 3D model]. Avid Field Lab. https://avidsolutionsintl.com/explore/planetary-gearset

Last updated November 11, 2026

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