Increased output torque from reduction gear units

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Oct 8, 2001

Reggiana Riduttori UK's Series 2000 modular reduction gear units offer significantly increased output torque over the previous series and competitive planetary products of the same frame size

Newly established planetary gearbox company, Reggiana Riduttori UK of Bradford, West Yorkshire has introduced the latest Series 2000 modular reduction gear units to this country.

Developed and manufactured at the modern Reggiana Riduttori plant in Italy, the new range offers significantly increased output torque over the previous series and competitive planetary products of the same frame size, whilst maintaining the same dimensions, and is completely interchangeable with comparable models.

Typical applications extend from wind generators and tyre shredders in the energy and environmental sectors, through winches and cable laying in the marine/offshore market, the processing, materials handling and machine tools industries, to mining and quarrying machinery and mobile plant.

Achieved through a mix of improved gear geometries and output shaft material, enhanced heat treatment technologies, redesigned planetary carriers and optimisation of the gear stages, the advanced Series 2000 is ideal where customers require more performance from their machinery, without wishing to increase the weight and dimensions of the gearbox.

Equally, the new range will often enable designers to move down a frame size, permitting more compact, lightweight drive solutions and introducing obvious cost savings.

In applications such as winch drives, where the gearbox can determine drum diameter, the reduction in size will actually lower the torque requirement (torque = force x radius), resulting in even smaller gear units.

Reggiana Riduttori's Series 2000 is offered in mainstream linear or right-angled reduction gear formats, foot-mounted versions for many industrial and machine tool applications, and shaft-mounted units for conveyors, mixers and similar duties, in a wide range of output ratios and torque capacities between 650Nm and 600,000Nm.

The same high performance technology is also extended to specialist slew drive, wheel drive and track drive units for cranes, excavators and other mobile plant.

This new generation of planetary gearboxes is accompanied by a dedicated English catalogue, which provides a complete and easy-to-use source of data for calculating gear/bearing life and thermal capacities.

It enables designers to confidently make their own model selections, although full technical and specification support is naturally available from Reggiana Riduttori UK.

The printed catalogue is backed by an interactive CD Rom, which allows the user to select CAD drawings of any Series 2000 configuration and download these to an AutoCad or compatible system.

The range's modular assembly system includes five inputs for different drive connections and duties, a choice of 1, 2, 3, 4 or more stages of reduction, seven male and female output supports, plus a complete selection of output shafts and accessories.

There are also right- angle drive components and optional integrated brakes and gear selectors.

The multiple prime mover options, encompassing electrical, hydraulic and air motors, mean that customers can design a machine around a common gearbox output stage, then vary the ratio by adding or removing primary modules.

The modular design approach, coupled with in-depth component stockholdings at Bradford, allows Reggiana Riduttori UK to offer quick turnaround times and achieve bespoke drive solutions from standard components.

The company has already delivered a 22,000NM integrated drive package, complete with motor and brake, to Aberdeen within 24 hours; whilst a larger 90,000Nm unit, including fluid coupling, was built and supplied in a few weeks.

Significantly, these drives were delivered to the customer's precise specifications, without the design compromises often necessary to achieve tight deadlines.