Over the years, many industrial gearbox manufacturers from all over the world have been in existence. Not all still are. The problem that manufacturing businesses have comes about when power transmission equipment on their machines comes to the end of their working life. It’s even worse when the original equipment manufacturer is no longer with us.
Replacing Old Industrial Gearboxes
Replacing old industrial gearboxes doesn’t need to be fraught with danger. Understanding what is required from the application is the main consideration.
Primary considerations for replacing gearboxes that are no longer in production include:
- Application
- Load and duty cycle
- Physical dimensions, namely
- Shaft size
- Shaft centre height
- Footprint
The Art of the Retrofit
Retrofitting gearboxes takes into consideration all of these elements, but also includes lateral thinking for utilising modern technology. Modern electronics have opened up new possibilities in variable speed drives (VSDs). In turn, this has simplified options for retrofit supply of older mechanical variable speed units. The main issue is still with the gearbox component, which is where the next level of customer support is necessary.
Application is the Key
We can begin on matching what is available to what is required once the application is determined. Determining loads is a little complex, but can be achieved by analysing requirements, as well as research on the existing gear unit. In fact, All Torque Transmissions carries information from many power transmission manufacturers (including the majority of the defunct ones). This usually includes all of their mechanical ratings, which help to determine the modern equivalent.
