Depending on the type of gear transmission, gearboxes are cylindrical, bevel, wave, planetary, globoid and worm gear. Combined gearboxes are widely used, consisting of several types of gears combined in one housing (cylindrical-bevel, cylindrical-worm, etc.).

The number of gear stages directly affects the gear ratio. In worm gearboxes, single-stage pairs are most common. Spur gearboxes, usually two- or three-stage.

Conventional straight shafts in the form of bodies of revolution are usually used in gearboxes. The shafts of the gearboxes are subjected to external loads, cantilever loads, and overcoming forces. Shaft torque is determined by the operating torque of the gearbox or the reactive torque of the drive.

The cantilever load is determined by the way the gearbox is connected to the motor, depends on the radial or axial force on the shaft. Hollow shaft gearboxes are used in a number of machines that have special requirements in terms of size or weight. The hollow shaft of the gearbox allows the shaft of the actuator to be positioned inside the gearbox, thereby eliminating the need to use transitional half couplings, etc.