Large Hypoid Gears for Demanding Applications

Bartlett, Ill. – WITTENSTEIN has enhanced the range of hypoid planetary gearboxes with the addition of new SUMO sizes to ensure maximum productivity of your application. The latest addition to the SUMO line of gearheads is for the alpha series of SPK+ and TPK+. Both product series are designed for maximum performance through the combination of modern hypoid technology partnered with planetary gears with helical gearing. The new larger sizes for these series offer extremely high torque and high ratios. 

The SPK+ 210 / 240 hypoid gear has an output shaft and offers:

- Torques up to 4500 Nm

- Ratios up to i=10000

The TPK+ 300 / 500 hypoid gear has an output flange and offers:

- Torques up to 4500 Nm

- Ratios up to i=10000

www.wittenstein-us.com

DAANET offers compact B&R servo motors

DAANET (www.daanet.com.au) has expanded its B&R’s 8LV servo motor series portfolio to include a new range of motor-mounted gearboxes.

The high-performance servo motors offer high power density in a small installation space and integrate all electrical and mechanical elements into a very compact unit.

Designed with a very small absolute encoder system offering a resolution of 262144 steps per revolution, the system can achieve high precision while occupying lesser space.

The gearboxes are directly mounted on the motor to save installation space, weight and the amount of mass being moved, made possible by a total reconstruction of the motor’s output flange and its adoption to the gearboxes.

The center gear directly rests on the motor shaft and substitutes the input shaft on the gearbox. This kind of mounting eliminates the need for a clamp system, adapter flange or the gearbox input bearing.

Aside from saving approximately 20% in installation space and weight, it also reduces the amount of mass that has to be moved.

Creating high-performance control loops for dynamic applications is also possible even in tight spaces with the small amount of mass and rigid structure.

With gearboxes directly mounted on the motor, it is possible to choose from the standard 8GM40 gearboxes, the economy series 8GM30 gearboxes and the reinforced 8GM50 gearboxes.

The 8GM50 series uses optimized bearings for axial and radial forces for mechanical compatibility with Wittenstein products.

The latest motor series is suited for applications with high demand on torque and dynamics in limited spaces.

Easy Online CAD generator

With the launch of WITTENSTEINS’s website in 2009, WITTENSTEIN developed an easy-to-use online CAD generator for quick and easy product selection and part number generation.

The new online tool helps build upon the CAD selection and part number creation functions for alpha gearboxes by adding:

• Clear and easy to understand visuals representing various part options
• Technical specifications for immediate product review
• Complete drive train selection from gearbox to motor
• Interactive part number creation for complete part number (gearbox+motor)

A key aspect of this redesigned tool is customers will be able to have real-time access to its comprehensive database of standard products and motor data.

WITTENSTEIN has plans for future development of this tool, which includes the addition of rack and pinion, couplings and actuators.  These changes will be added in the coming year.

Click to view a online “how to video”

WITTENSTEIN
www.wittenstein-us.com

Rotalink’s low-cost absolute encoders with ovoid gearboxes

Rotalink (www.rotalink.com) has unveiled an innovative low-priced absolute encoder with ovoid style gearboxes. This compact encoder is directly fitted to the output shaft’s rear side to measure the load position and it is available for single-turn 360° rotation or multi-turn versions of up to 32,000 revolutions. The absolute encoder uses highly reliable and long-life non-contacting magnetic technology and provides a choice of a 10-bit per turn positional data or 0V-5V linear analogue output through a synchronous serial interface (SSI).

The device can be used to replace potentiometer-based angle encoders by combining position and motor feedback in one component or for low-cost servo feedback in rotary and linear actuators. Absolute position feedback is also very useful for machine homing. The device’s multi-turn option consists of an integral rechargeable battery, which maintains full position information for 20 hours if machine power is removed,

Rotalink designs and produces a variety of gearboxes in spur and planetary gearbox designs that feature polymer gears on ball or sintered bearings. The range also consists of ovoid-style gearheads, which include planetary gear assemblies for the output stages and a combination of spur gears for input stages. These are available in a choice of ultra-polymer materials.

The new absolute encoders are included in the company’s latest catalogue, which also features three new ranges of DC motor technologies – brushless, rare earth and heavy case – and new brushless version of the Red Drive motion controller and several gearbox lines.

Jakob’s graphic printing machine improves productivity with Kollmorgen servo motors and precision gearboxes

Jakob Graphic Services GmbH (www.jakob-gmbh.eu) has unveiled a jumbo roll collator for advanced printing operations. The machine can automatically label, collate, glue, fold and cut forms, brochures with or without a finish, mailers with cut inserts, calendars and other similar printed objects. The machine performs with precision during highly dynamic processes while rapidly adapting to new tasks, with a very fast and simple changeover system. The machine’s center has an embedded Kollmorgen Automation Suite (KAS), which is very important to speed up development and commissioning with real-time system simulation and simplified programming interface.

The new Kollmorgen Automation Suite (KAS) has several key advances, which include a machine throughput of 200m/min, a more compact cabinet with a complete IPC module and total application development time of one week.

Compared with traditional machines, the new device eliminates the need to change the gearwheels and cylinders used for perforating or cross cutting several paper formats due to Kollmorgen’s AKM servo motors and precision gearboxes.

Customized formats can be used in the programmable control unit, while format changeover is performed at the touchscreen display.

“The crucial factor for the decision to go with the Kollmorgen Automation Suite was that the Motion Control, PLC and HMI/SCADA functionalities – in our case on an industrial PC – are available via a single processor. This standard tool allows the cost-effective introduction of company-specific knowhow and tailored solutions for individual applications,” said Jakob Graphic Services design engineering and technical manager. “Furthermore, it radically speeds up programming and commissioning, and increases machine performance.”

Low-friction Gearbox for Higher Efficiencies

Bartlett, Ill. – Wittenstein announces a new version of its alpha SP+ HIGH SPEED gearbox, the L-Version. The new version features high maximum and nominal output speed, reduced nominal torque, lower heat buildup, lower no-load running torque and higher efficiency.

This low-friction gearbox is available initially for the HIGH SPEED versions of the SP+100, SP+140 and SP+180. The L-Version is ideal for applications demanding continuous duty with high nominal output speed and requiring longer service-life for continuous duty.

For more information, contact Wittenstein Engineering at info@wittenstein-us.com or visit www.wittenstein-us.com.

www.wittenstein-us.com

Modular Bearing System for Planetary Wind Turbine Gearboxes

Most wind turbines use gearboxes to transform the relatively low rotational speed of the main shaft into the higher speeds required for power generation. Single or two stage planetary gears are often used to keep the overall size small.

The bearings of the planetary gears tend to be highly loaded in this application.  Austrian bearing specialist NKE Austria has developed a modular bearing system that will manage the loads better than other approaches. The system is already in use in the 1.5 MW, 2 MW and 2.5 MW wind turbine gearboxes of a well-known German gearbox manufacturer.

Schematic cutaway drawing shows the two stage planetarygearbox with one spur gear stage (source: Romax/NKE)

The modular concept is based on single-row cylindrical roller bearings of the RN range, which do not have an outer ring. These bearings are equipped with a one-piece solid brass cage, which is guided by the inner ring. The cage features inspection grooves for endoscopic inspection of the inner raceways as standard.

These single row bearings can be assembled to sets of two, three or four bearings to conform with the individual load and design parameters of a specific gearbox.

The tightly toleranced overall height of each individual bearing and their precise matching ensures even distribution of the radial loads. Each bearing set includes the components required to secure the bearings axially in the planetary gears – such as retaining rings and loose rib rings. If required, the overall width of each bearing set can be adapted to the operating conditions and the available space with spacer rings fitted between the individual bearings.

Fourfold planetary gear bearing set.

Used consistently throughout the gearbox assembly, the modular concept has several advantages: simpler design of planetary bearings; a standard bearing design for the first and second gear stage and across various gearbox sizes; reduction in the number of bearing variants; simpler adaptation of bearing set characteristics to the requirements of each gear stage; excellent rolling element guidance, due to the one-piece solid brass cage, even during rapid acceleration; and standard lubrication grooves to improve the lubrication of the planetary gear bearings.

NKE Austria GmbH
www.nke.at