Gear challenge in food processing machine

For Cross and Morse, supplying gears for inverted-tooth chain drives is an everyday occurrence, but a recent application involving a food processing machine added an extra challenge

For power transmission expert, Cross and Morse, supplying gears for inverted-tooth chain drives is an everyday occurrence, but a recent application involving a food processing machine added an extra challenge - access was so restricted that there was no possibility of fitting the necessary 700mm diameter gear, if it were manufactured conventionally.

After carefully evaluating the customer's requirements, however, Cross and Morse's experienced design team developed an innovative solution.

The gear would be manufactured in four sectors which would be introduced into the space-restricted area one by one, and finally assembled around the drive shaft.

Careful design, and precision manufacturing in Cross and Morse's own UK plant, using the latest CNC machining centres, ensured that, after installation, the performance of the four-segment gear was in every way the equal of a conventional single-piece component.

Furthermore, the design and manufacture of the segmented gear was completed in just 20 days from receipt of the order, and costs were far lower than any possible alternative solution.

"Cross and Morse offers a huge range of standard components, almost all of which are available from stock," said George Harris, Cross and Morse's managing director, "but we recognise that there are many applications, like this one, where no standard component will do the job." "For that reason," continued Harris, "we have, in recent years, enhanced our design and manufacturing facilities to the point where we now believe ourselves to be the UK's most efficient and competitive supplier of custom power transmission solutions.

Our expertise and flexible manufacturing processes mean that we can now develop cost-effective solutions to meet virtually any requirement involving belt and chain drives, gears, clutches and bearings.".

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