Stufenlose

Stufenlose is a term used to describe systems and controls that operate without discrete steps, providing a continuous range of variation in output. Derived from German stufe (step) and los (without), the expression is common in engineering literature and product naming to denote a lack of fixed increments in position, speed, or intensity.

In mechanical engineering, stufenlose transmissions, most notably continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), adjust gear ratios smoothly to provide any intermediate speed between a minimum and maximum. Classic CVTs use belts and pulleys or torque-splitting mechanisms. Hydrostatic and hydraulic transmissions can also offer stepless speed control. In electrical engineering, dimming circuits and variable-frequency drives describe motor speeds in a continuous fashion, while digital controls often approximate continuity through high-resolution feedback loops.

The concept has historical roots in German-language engineering literature and automotive design in the 20th century, where “stufenlos” became a standard descriptor for devices that avoid fixed gears or steps. Today the term is used across domains—from automotive transmissions to industrial automation and consumer electronics—to signal a seamless range of adjustment rather than predefined settings.