THE MICROTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION PORTAL / THE TRADE SHOW
22.12.2025
A - Machines
History: 100 years of cycloidal gears
In 2025, the cycloidal gear celebrates its 100th anniversary. Originally developed as a solution for use in cameras, this high-performance technology is now considered the ultimate in terms of precision, dynamics, and compactness.
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary, we opened the history books to let the story come to life. Join us on a journey of discovery and find out how it all began.
While toothed gears were already known in ancient times, cycloidal gears are a relatively new technology. The first mention of the cycloid (a special shape of curve), from which the gears get their name, dates back to the early 16th century. But the invention of the cycloidal gear took another 400 years. In the late 1920s, the German engineer and entrepreneur Lorenz Braren developed an entirely new technology: the cyclo gear. For the transmission of forces, this type of gear used pins and rollers instead of the usual toothed gears – the cycloidal gear was born. In 1925, the technology was patented. This year therefore marks the 100th anniversary of the cycloidal gear.
Know more.