Reductors

Reductors is a term used across several industries to denote devices or agents that effect a reduction of a quantity. In common engineering usage it most often refers to a gear reduction unit that lowers rotational speed while increasing torque. In electrical engineering it can refer to a device that lowers voltage. In biochemistry, the standard term for enzymes that catalyze reduction is reductase; “reductors” is uncommon there.

Mechanical reductors are devices designed to reduce speed and multiply torque in rotating machinery. They are typically implemented as gear reducers or transmission units within industrial equipment, robotics, and vehicles. Common configurations include inline (parallel to the drive shaft), right-angle, bevel, and planetary gear systems. The key specification is the gear ratio, which determines the resulting speed and torque. Reductors are chosen to balance efficiency, size, load, and service life, and they may include integrated bearings, seals, and cooling features.

Electrical reductors refer to components or systems that reduce electrical quantities such as voltage or current. Examples include step-down transformers, linear and switching-mode power supplies, and DC-DC buck converters. These devices are used to adapt power supply levels for different circuits and loads while maintaining safe operation and efficiency. The terminology varies by region; in English, “voltage reducer” or “step-down converter” is more commonly used than “reductor.”

In biological and chemical contexts, reductors are not commonly used term; instead reductases are enzymes that catalyze reduction reactions. The broader idea of reduction, however, is central in redox chemistry, metabolism, and energy transduction.

See also: reductase, gear reducer, voltage transformer.