PRODUCTS GEARS & GEARBOXES
TAKING A LOOK AT THE BENEFITS OF HIGH SPEED POLYMER GEARBOXES
When there is a need to reduce weight and cost, high speed polymer gearboxes can play an important role. Rotalink’s gearboxes, for example, have been successfully used for diverse applications, ranging from welding wire feeders to coffee grinders. According to the company, increasing the size of a polymer gear to add strength
doesn’t add weight or cost as quickly compared to a metal one. As well as enabling larger gears, the fast cycle time of the injection moulding process makes it cost- effective to use more gears to achieve a given ratio. In addition, smaller ratios between each gear results in a stronger gearbox. Polymer gearboxes can be used where high power is required for shorter periods of
time, such as in machines for grinding coffee and where applications require larger gearboxes – for example, desiccant drives, display turntables, vending machines and peristaltic pumps. In this type of application there is little time for heat to build up which makes the heat resistance of metal irrelevant. Where the application calls for weight to be minimised, such as wire feeding for portable MIG welders which typically require a low duty cycle, polymer gears are also beneficial. In the miniature power transmission
industry it is common to use metal in the final stages of a gear train, where load is heaviest, and polymer before that. However, Rotalink takes a different approach. Polymer materials make it practical to add a large planetary gear stage to the end of a conventional spur gear train. This configuration has been developed by Rotalink and is marketed as a hybrid planetary-spur gearbox.
Rotalink T: 01460 72000
www.rotalink.com
SINGLE-STAGE HELICAL INLINE GEARBOXES
A new line of single-stage helical inline gearboxes with a NORDBLOC.1 light alloy case, has been introduced by Nord DriveSystems. These are currently available in five sizes. Suited to pump, agitator, fan and intra-logistics
applications, the robust gears achieve a very high torsional rigidity. According to the company, in high-speed applications, these helical inline gearboxes are a more powerful solution than two-stage units. Thanks to the use of highly precise manufacturing and
high-quality materials, the units are very light weight, smooth-running and efficient. Of additional benefit, an nsd tupH surface treatment is available as an option, resulting in corrosion resistance where used, for example, in long-term aggressive ambient atmospheres. IEC and NEMA motor mounting options, as well as various shaft, bearing and lubrication variants, enable versatile bespoke configurations.
Nord Gear (UK) T: 01235 534404
www.nord.com
LIGHT AND QUIET PLASTIC PLANETARY GEARS
New from Nanotec are the GPLK range of plastic planetary gears. Said to be lighter and quieter than those made from metal, these measure 42mm and, in combination with the BLDC motor DF45, make a very compact drive that weighs just 300g and has a nominal torque of 5Nm. These, the company
explains, are suited to applications where the motor must be mobile – in service robotics, for example. Also available are the
GPLEP planetary precision gears. Equipped with reinforced output bearings and capable of withstanding high radial and axial loads, these are suitable for motor sizes of between 42 and 86mm. With small driverless transport systems in particular, this gear type is said to enable simple construction without separate drive wheel bearings. The GPLEF flange gears, meanwhile, are for motor sizes of
between 56 and 86mm. These have an efficiency rating of 97%; and the output flange complies with EN ISO 9409, so swivel arms or rotary tables can be screwed on directly.
Nanotec
www.nanotec.de
IMPROVING GEAR PRECISION
Hopwood Gear manufactures gears ranging in size from 4mm diameter up to 3m. It serves a range of industries including defence, aerospace, automotive, white goods and consumer markets with bespoke gears for anything from a tank or submarine through to washing machines. The company, however, was using a subcontract profiling company at a cost of up to £5000 each month. A lot of money was being spent getting gear profiles cut prior to entering the machine shop for secondary processing. The supply was regularly outside the company’s tolerance band and the gears were often tapered where the waterjet wasn’t cutting at 90˚. So, Hopwood invested in a Kerf Optima 420 waterjet machine. By installing the new machine, the
company immediately improved the precision of its profiles, attaining a precision level of ±0.05mm as opposed to ±0.3mm on subcontract supplied profiles – a result of the BFT high pressure pump on the Optima 420. The enhanced precision reduced returns and it also cut the internal re-working of gears, reducing lead-times,
26 SEPTEMBER 2016 | DESIGN SOLUTIONS
improving precision and edge finishes, and preventing labour and machine time from being unnecessarily absorbed in the machine shop. Hopwood Gear
estimates that £2000 of the £5000 monthly cost of profile cutting was actually material cost. So, by purchasing the Kerf Optima and acquiring the material direct from the stockholder, Hopwood Gear has reduced its subcontract costs by £3000 each month. The flexibility of the waterjet means that Hopwood has also eliminated an additional £500 per month in subcontract costs for laser cutting of thin plates and discs. The ease-of-use and the automated running of the machine allows one operator to simultaneously run a number of machines, avoiding the cost of additional staff. Furthermore, the twin-head configuration permits fast dual-cutting production. The lead-time for external waterjet
profiles was four to six weeks. Now, the company can get the material next day and often turn work around in less than a week.
Kerf Developments
www.kerfdevelopments.com
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