{"id":935,"date":"2026-06-18T05:40:53","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T05:40:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/planetary-gearboxes.com\/?post_type=product&p=935"},"modified":"2026-06-18T05:40:53","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T05:40:53","slug":"406aw-winch-drive-planetary-gearbox","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/planetary-gearboxes.com\/th\/product\/406aw-winch-drive-planetary-gearbox\/","title":{"rendered":"406AW Winch Drive Planetary Gearbox Reducer"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/p>\n

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WIDEST RATIO RANGE IN THE CATALOGUE<\/div>\n

23 \u2014 220<\/h2>\n

9.6:1 spread. One gearbox. Every speed.<\/p>\n

The EP-406AW is the winch drive planetary gearbox<\/a> that refuses to specialise. At ratio 23, it runs a fast harbour cargo hoist. At ratio 220, it positions a 12-tonne ship section to within 2 mm. Everywhere between, it delivers 12,500 Nm with 430 Nm of integral brake torque and 95% efficiency \u2014 covering a speed-torque envelope that would normally require three separate gearbox models from the catalogue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u0e41\u0e23\u0e07\u0e1a\u0e34\u0e14<\/span>12,500 Nm<\/span><\/div>\n
Brake<\/span>430 Nm<\/span><\/div>\n
\u0e19\u0e49\u0e33\u0e2b\u0e19\u0e31\u0e01<\/span>210 kg<\/span><\/div>\n
Input \/ FEM<\/span>3,500 \/ M5<\/span><\/div>\n
\"406AW<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The 406AW is the first of three models in the 406 family. Alongside it sits the 406W (13,000 Nm, ratios 28-140) and the 406BW3 (17,500 Nm, ratios 63-136). All three deliver approximately the same torque class, but from radically different ratio architectures. The 406AW is the wide-range generalist. The 406W is the mid-range production model. The 406BW3 is the narrow-range heavy-duty specialist. Choosing between them is not about torque \u2014 it is about the speed envelope the winch must cover and the duty cycle it must sustain.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

<\/p>\n

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406AW Winch Drive Planetary Gearbox \u2014 Technical Parameters<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u0e41\u0e23\u0e07\u0e1a\u0e34\u0e14\u0e40\u0e2d\u0e32\u0e15\u0e4c\u0e1e\u0e38\u0e15\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e01\u0e33\u0e2b\u0e19\u0e14<\/td>\n12,500 Nm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gear ratio range<\/td>\n23 to 220 (catalogue widest, 9.6:1 spread)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Maximum input speed<\/td>\n3,500 \u0e23\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e15\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e19\u0e32\u0e17\u0e35<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Maximum output speed<\/td>\n25 rpm (FEM M5 continuous duty)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mechanical efficiency<\/td>\n\u2265 95%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Parking brake<\/td>\n430 Nm, multi-disc, spring-applied, hydraulic release<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Brake at drum (ratio-dependent)<\/td>\n9,890 Nm (r=23) to 94,600 Nm (r=220)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mounting<\/td>\nRotating housing flanges<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dry weight<\/td>\nApprox. 210 kg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e2b\u0e25\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e25\u0e37\u0e48\u0e19<\/td>\nOil bath splash, EP gear oil<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e2d\u0e38\u0e13\u0e2b\u0e20\u0e39\u0e21\u0e34\u0e43\u0e19\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e17\u0e33\u0e07\u0e32\u0e19<\/td>\n-20 to +85 deg C<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

<\/p>\n

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Three 406 Models, Three Philosophies \u2014 406AW vs 406W vs 406BW3<\/h2>\n

The 406 family is unique in the winch drive catalogue: three models sharing the same torque class but engineered around fundamentally different ratio architectures. The choice between them reveals the application more precisely than the torque rating alone.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u0e1e\u0e32\u0e23\u0e32\u0e21\u0e34\u0e40\u0e15\u0e2d\u0e23\u0e4c<\/th>\n406AW<\/th>\n406W<\/th>\n406BW3<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
\u0e41\u0e23\u0e07\u0e1a\u0e34\u0e14<\/td>\n12,500 Nm<\/td>\n13,000 Nm<\/td>\n17,500 Nm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e0a\u0e48\u0e27\u0e07\u0e2d\u0e31\u0e15\u0e23\u0e32\u0e2a\u0e48\u0e27\u0e19<\/td>\n23 – 220<\/td>\n28 – 140<\/td>\n63 – 136<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ratio spread<\/td>\n9.6 : 1<\/td>\n5.0 : 1<\/td>\n2.2 : 1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e40\u0e27\u0e17\u0e35<\/td>\n2-3<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Brake<\/td>\n430 Nm<\/td>\n430 Nm<\/td>\n430 Nm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e19\u0e49\u0e33\u0e2b\u0e19\u0e31\u0e01<\/td>\n210 kg<\/td>\n240 kg<\/td>\n270 kg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e40\u0e2b\u0e21\u0e32\u0e30\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e2a\u0e38\u0e14\u0e2a\u0e33\u0e2b\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1a<\/td>\nMulti-purpose cranes, R&D prototyping, diverse fleets<\/td>\nProduction cranes with known speed spec<\/td>\nHeavy-duty narrow-band applications<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
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406AW: the explorer<\/strong><\/p>\n

When the crane OEM is developing a new model and the final hoist speed specification is not yet locked \u2014 the 406AW covers virtually any speed the prototype testing might require. Also ideal for rental fleet operators who redeploy cranes across different cargo types and hoist speed requirements.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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406W: the production standard<\/strong><\/p>\n

When the crane specification is fixed and the ratio requirement falls within 28-140 \u2014 the 406W delivers 500 Nm more torque and a proven two-stage architecture at the most common ratios.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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406BW3: the heavy-duty specialist<\/strong><\/p>\n

When the application needs 17,500 Nm and the ratio falls within 63-136 \u2014 the three-stage 406BW3 provides 40% more torque than the 406AW at the same brake and input speed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

<\/p>\n

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Ratio 220 \u2014 What Happens When the Drum Turns Once Per Minute<\/h2>\n

At ratio 220 with a 1,500 rpm motor speed, the drum output is 6.8 rpm. On a 400 mm PCD drum, this produces a line speed of approximately 8.6 m\/min. Reduce the motor speed to 500 rpm (common for precision positioning) and the drum turns at 2.3 rpm \u2014 one revolution every 26 seconds \u2014 delivering a line speed of 2.9 m\/min. This is the speed domain where loads are placed, not merely lifted.<\/p>\n

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Shipbuilding Block Positioning<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ship sections weighing 5-12 tonnes must be positioned to within 2-5 mm of the weld line during block assembly. At ratio 220, the 406AW provides the creep speed and the motor torque controllability to achieve this precision. Each revolution of the motor shaft translates to only 5.7 mm of cable travel on a 400 mm PCD drum \u2014 giving the crane operator effectively infinite positioning resolution through motor speed control alone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Subsea Equipment Deployment<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lowering subsea manifolds, wellheads, and pipeline end terminations through the splash zone at controlled speed. The wave action at the surface creates dynamic cable tensions that the winch must absorb without jerking the load. At ratio 220, the motor operates at moderate speed (1,000-2,000 rpm) while the drum barely moves \u2014 the motor inertia and the gear reduction together act as a mechanical damper against wave-induced load fluctuations. The 430 Nm brake through ratio 220 produces 94,600 Nm of holding torque at the drum \u2014 sufficient to hold any load within the 12,500 Nm gearbox capacity on any drum diameter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Heavy Module Final Placement<\/strong><\/p>\n

Industrial plant construction, bridge erection, and heavy lift operations<\/a> where the final 50 mm of lowering determines whether a 10-tonne module seats correctly on its foundation bolts. At ratio 220 with a variable-displacement motor reduced to minimum displacement, the winch delivers sub-millimetre-per-second lowering speed. The crane operator can hear and feel the motor response before the load moves visibly \u2014 providing an intuitive control feedback loop that fast-ratio winches cannot offer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

<\/p>\n

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12,500 Nm Winch Drive \u2014 From Fast Cargo to Slow Precision in One Housing<\/h2>\n

\"406AW<\/p>\n

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Heavy Offshore Platform Cranes (10-25 t SWL)<\/h3>\n

Main hoist winches on offshore pedestal and knuckle-boom cranes that must handle both fast cargo transfer (ratio 23-60, 25-40 m\/min) and slow subsea deployment (ratio 150-220, 2-8 m\/min) depending on the operation. The 406AW eliminates the need for a two-speed winch design or a separate auxiliary winch for slow work \u2014 one winch drive covers both speed regimes by selecting the appropriate ratio at order. The slewing drive planetary gearbox<\/a> handles the crane rotation on the same platform.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Shipyard Gantry and Portal Cranes<\/h3>\n

Shipyard cranes that lift and position hull sections, engine blocks, and superstructure modules ranging from 5-12 tonnes. These cranes need fast hoisting for general lifting (ratio 30-50) and ultra-slow positioning for block assembly (ratio 180-220). The 406AW wide ratio range allows the shipyard to specify a single gearbox model for all yard cranes \u2014 fast-cycle units at low ratio and precision units at high ratio \u2014 with common spare parts and maintenance procedures across the fleet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Rental Fleet Multi-Purpose Cranes<\/h3>\n

Crane rental companies that deploy the same crane across different job types \u2014 today lifting precast panels (fast hoist, ratio 30), next week positioning a generator set on vibration mounts (slow precision, ratio 150). The 406AW allows the rental fleet to match the winch drive to the job by selecting ratio at order, then redeploying the crane to different customers without any winch modification. The wheel drive planetary gearbox<\/a> handles the crane carrier travel for the same rental fleet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

<\/p>\n

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Adjacent Models and Complementary Drives<\/h2>\n
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\"Winch<\/p>\n

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Full Winch Drive Range \u2192<\/a><\/h3>\n

406W (13,000 Nm) and 406BW3 (17,500 Nm) for applications where the 406AW ratio range is wider than needed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Slewing<\/p>\n

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Slewing Drive Planetary Gearbox \u2192<\/a><\/h3>\n

ZR series for heavy offshore crane rotation, shipyard gantry travel, and pedestal crane slewing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Precision<\/p>\n

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Precision Planetary Gearbox \u2192<\/a><\/h3>\n

EP-ZDS for crane anti-sway systems, level-wind rope guides, and subsea winch heave compensation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

<\/p>\n

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Winch Drive Planetary Gearbox \u2014 Wide-Range Heavy Hoist FAQ<\/h2>\n
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How does the 406AW achieve a 23-220 ratio range when the 406W only spans 28-140?<\/h3>\n

The 406AW is available in both two-stage and three-stage configurations within the same housing family. The lower ratios (23-80) use a two-stage gear set with large sun gears for high speed. The higher ratios (80-220) use a three-stage gear set with additional planetary reduction. The 406W is a two-stage-only model, which limits its maximum ratio to approximately 140. The 406AW three-stage option extends the ceiling to 220 at the cost of slightly lower efficiency at the highest ratios (93-94% versus 95% for two-stage).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Does the 430 Nm brake provide adequate holding at ratio 23 (the lowest multiplication)?<\/h3>\n

At ratio 23, the 430 Nm brake produces 9,890 Nm at the drum. On a 400 mm PCD drum: maximum holdable line pull = 9,890 \/ 0.2 = 49,450 N (approximately 5,040 kg). With a 1.5x safety factor for general cargo: maximum working line pull = 3,360 kg. For loads exceeding this, either increase the ratio (which increases brake multiplication) or add a secondary external brake. At ratio 220, the same 430 Nm brake holds 94,600 Nm \u2014 effectively unlimited for any load within the 12,500 Nm gearbox capacity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Is the 406AW suitable for container terminal quay cranes?<\/h3>\n

Container terminal quay cranes operate at FEM M6-M8 duty \u2014 500+ cycles per shift at near-rated load. The 406AW at FEM M5 must be derated by 15-25% for this duty, which reduces the effective continuous torque to approximately 9,400-10,600 Nm. If this derated capacity meets the crane design requirement, the 406AW can serve. If the full 12,500 Nm is needed at M6+ duty, step up to the 407 family (18,000-26,000 Nm) which has the thermal mass and bearing capacity for continuous heavy-duty crane service.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What oil volume and maintenance schedule applies to the 406AW?<\/h3>\n

Approximately 5-7 litres depending on the stage count and mounting angle. Use API GL-5 SAE 80W-90 or ISO VG 150 EP gear oil. First change at 250 hours. Subsequent changes every 2,000 hours in standard crane service or 1,500 hours in marine\/offshore environments. Oil sampling every 1,000 hours is recommended. Brake disc inspection every 2,500 hours. Rotary union inspection every 2,500 hours. Contact \u0e40\u0e01\u0e32\u0e2b\u0e25\u0e35 \u0e40\u0e2d\u0e40\u0e27\u0e2d\u0e23\u0e4c\u0e1e\u0e32\u0e27\u0e40\u0e27\u0e2d\u0e23\u0e4c<\/a> for the complete maintenance schedule matched to your FEM duty class and operating environment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Can a winch drive with ratio 220 back-drive under load (will the load lower itself)?<\/h3>\n

At ratio 220, the friction within the three-stage planetary gear train is high enough that back-driving efficiency (output driving the input) drops below 50%. This means a suspended load cannot turn the motor fast enough to overcome internal friction \u2014 the gears resist back-driving. However, this friction-lock is NOT a substitute for the parking brake. Friction varies with temperature, oil viscosity, and wear state, and must never be relied upon for load holding. The 430 Nm spring-applied brake is the designated holding mechanism regardless of the self-locking tendency at high ratios.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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How does the winch drive planetary gearbox handle dynamic overloads from wave-induced crane loads<\/a>?<\/h3>\n

Wave action on offshore cranes produces dynamic amplification factors of 1.3-2.0 depending on the sea state and the crane tip height. The 406AW rated at 12,500 Nm continuous can sustain peak transient torques of approximately 25,000 Nm (2x rated) for sub-second impulses without gear damage. For sustained dynamic loading in significant wave heights above 2.5 metres, apply a dynamic amplification factor to the steady-state torque and verify that the amplified torque does not exceed the rated capacity. If it does, either reduce the crane rating for the sea state or step up to the 407AW (18,000 Nm) for greater dynamic headroom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

<\/p>\n

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Field Reports<\/h2>\n
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\u0e40\u0e08<\/div>\n
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Joost V. \u2014 Offshore Crane OEM Project Lead<\/div>\n
Verified Purchase \u00b7 Rotterdam, Netherlands \u00b7 April 2026<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

20 t SWL offshore crane, main hoist. We selected the 406AW at ratio 80 for general cargo work (18 m\/min at full load) but our client added a subsea deployment requirement during the build phase. With any other gearbox, this would have required a complete winch redesign. With the 406AW, we simply respecified at ratio 190 for the subsea variant \u2014 same housing, same drum, same frame, same hydraulic circuit, same classification documentation. The two cranes are mechanically identical except for the internal gear set. Spare parts inventory for both cranes: one kit. This is the product that makes mid-project scope changes survivable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u0e27<\/div>\n
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Won K. \u2014 Shipyard Crane Fleet Manager<\/div>\n
Verified Purchase<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Shipyard gantry crane, 12 t capacity, block assembly duty. 406AW at ratio 200. The positioning precision at this ratio is remarkable \u2014 our welders report that the ship sections arrive within 3 mm of the weld line on first approach, compared to 15-20 mm with our previous fast-ratio winch that required manual chain-block final positioning. The time saving on each block join is approximately 20 minutes (eliminating the chain-block step). Across 400 block joins per vessel: 133 hours saved. At 4 vessels per year: 532 hours of production time recovered. The investment in the 406AW paid for itself during the first hull.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u0e2d\u0e35<\/div>\n
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Elena S. \u2014 Crane Rental Operations Director<\/div>\n
Verified Purchase \u00b7 June 2026<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Rental fleet, 8 cranes across 3 job types. The 406AW standardisation reduced our gearbox part numbers from 5 to 1 and eliminated the ratio-mismatch risk that caused two redeployment delays last year (wrong gearbox for the job, 3-week wait for replacement). The 4-star is a logistics observation: the 406AW three-stage variant (ratios above 140) weighs and measures slightly differently from the two-stage variant (ratios below 80), which means the “one part number” advantage has a caveat \u2014 the two variants are not dimensionally interchangeable even though they share the same product designation. Making the dimensional differences explicit in the ordering documentation would prevent the assumption that any 406AW fits any 406AW drum.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The EP-406AW holds the widest gear ratio range of any winch drive planetary gearbox in the Korea Ever-Power catalogue \u2014 and it is not close. At ratio 23, the drum turns fast enough for a 40 m\/min cargo hoist. At ratio 220, it turns once per minute for the millimetre-precision load placement that shipbuilding and subsea operations demand. Between those extremes, the 406AW delivers 12,500 Nm of output torque with a 430 Nm fail-safe brake through every ratio point, all at 3,500 rpm input and FEM M5 continuous duty. This is the first model in the catalogue where a single winch drive replaces not just multiple ratio variants but multiple product categories.<\/div>","protected":false},"featured_media":946,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[969],"product_tag":[],"class_list":["post-935","product","type-product","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","product_cat-winch-drive-planetary-gearbox","first","instock","shipping-taxable","product-type-simple"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/planetary-gearboxes.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/planetary-gearboxes.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/planetary-gearboxes.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planetary-gearboxes.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=935"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planetary-gearboxes.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/planetary-gearboxes.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planetary-gearboxes.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=935"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planetary-gearboxes.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=935"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planetary-gearboxes.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=935"}],"curies":[{"name":"\u0e14\u0e31\u0e1a\u0e40\u0e1a\u0e34\u0e25\u0e22\u0e39\u0e1e\u0e35","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}