Dutch go for gears which fit all NEMA, IEC flanges

SIF Group has specified welding and positioning rigs developed by Key Plant which feature David Brown gear units capable of handling all NEMA and IEC flanges on standard electric motors

Key Plant can claim to be the UK's leading specialist in the development, supply and servicing of welding and positioning equipment for major engineering and manufacturing projects.

Its customers include pressure vessel and pipeline manufacturers, gas, mining, offshore, energy generation, transportation, shipbuilding, automotive and nuclear industries.

Now Dutch manufacturing giant SIF Group, a world leader in supplying the massive steel columns needed for constructing offshore rigs and wind farms, is using precision welding and positioning rigs developed by Key Plant.

The rigs use advanced gear technology from David Brown Engineering, part of Textron Fluid and Power.

Key Plant supplied a GBP 500,000 turnkey solution for SIF Group in Roermond, near Maastricht, designing, building and commissioning on site the various positioning and welding rigs used to manipulate the columns, which can weigh up to 450 tonnes each.

The steel column sections are positioned on rail-mounted carriages that move the sections together for welding while rotators on the power carriages turn the sections accordingly to enable traversing boom welders to complete the fabrication process.

The powered traversing drive unit must be able to move the massive column sections laterally, and transfer the pipe from inside the fabrication plant to the waiting barge on the canal for onward transport.

David Brown gear units fulfil crucial roles in carrying out these various operations.

Both drive and idler carriages are fitted with powered wheel carriage adjustment via a lead screw and geared motor to accommodate various column or pipe diameters.

A digital display gives the position.

Key Plant Director Jon Grigg comments: "The SIF project is typical of the critical, heavy duty operations we undertake on behalf of major players and because we deliver a turnkey solution, as well as service support, we rely on the integrity of the components in the equipment we provide.

"David Brown gear units are quite simply the best on the market in terms of performance, durability and reliability, and that makes them our first choice".

The main factor in the class-leading versatility of the Series M, F and K ranges of inline, right angle and shaft mount geared motor units is the unique David Brown motor connection which offers the option of being able to fit any standard electric motor.

This patented motor adapter system means the range accepts all sizes of standard NEMA and IEC flange mounted electric motors without requiring expensive modifications or interface connectors, so the original motor and any replacements may be sourced at very competitive prices from a wide range of suppliers or distributors, reducing downtime and cost at plant level.

Customers can also fit standard motors in all types, such as AC, DC, single phase, energy efficient, washdown, explosion proof, etc., without the high costs traditionally associated with gearboxes designed to accept special motor flange and shaft interfaces.

All units are dimensionally interchangeable with major European manufacturers.

The largest of the Series A Midrange worm drive quadruple reduction gear units with a reduction of 847:1 are linked to 5.5kW motors to rotate the steel cylinders.

Series F shaft mounted helical units specified with a reduction of 1400:1 coupled to 5.5kW motor inverters offer a soft start and move the carriages and their huge loads at up to 2m/min.

Series K shaft mounted helical geared motors - with reductions from 100:1 to 45:1 - are used to drive the screw gear to raise and lower the steel sections with millimetre precision.

Series M helical inline geared motors were also specified as the primary drives in the modification of existing smaller 150 tonne rotation/drive units, with a reduction of 17:1.

These employ a Textron close-coupled double engagement coupling with two flex halves to accommodate both offset and angular misalignment.

The Series K right angle drive helical bevel helical geared motors are designed with integral cast feet for base or end mounting and can be offered with single or double extended output shafts.

Units are also available shaft mounted or with output flanges and are available for mounting horizontally or vertically.

All variants are available either motorised or with an input shaft assembly.

The Series F geared motor is mainly designed as a shaft mounted unit and includes an integral torque reaction bracket.

The units are also available with bolt-on feet or output flanges and output shafts of single and double extension.

All variations can be supplied either motorised or with input shaft assemblies.

The Series A worm gear units and geared motors are offered in Junior, Midrange and Heavy Duty sizes.

Units can be mounted in the worm under, worm over and gear shaft vertical mounting positions and there is a choice of shaft arrangements.

Series A gives a choice of twelve standard ratios from 5:1 to 70:1, with fourteen standard ratios in the Heavy Duty from 5:1 to 70:1.

David Brown Series M inline geared motors and reducers provide what the company claims are the most versatile, cost effective and user friendly drives in their class.

The Series M geared motors can meet most needs up to 90kW or 120HP with maximum output torque capacity of 11,000Nm.

Twelve unit sizes give a ratio coverage of 1.2:1 to 12,000:1 in single, double, triple and combined reduction formats, and clever modular construction maximises product availability.

The torsionally rigid, lubricated design of the special couplings used with the Series M by Key Plant offers high torque capacity, application versatility, and where high torque loads exist or shaft diameters exceed 100mm, the lowest initial cost.

The coupling is available in 28 sizes, all featuring triple-crowned teeth.

(Updated by CR, May 2007).

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