Compact gearhead boosts torque

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 3, 2002

The ability of ZF Industrial's PG Series planetary gearheads to optimise levels of torque even on the smallest sizes of servomotors has been enhanced with the addition of a 25Nm gearhead to the range.

The ability of ZF Industrial's PG Series planetary gearheads to optimise levels of torque even on the smallest sizes of servomotors has been enhanced with the introduction of a 25Nm gearhead to the range.

The new PG 25 unit gives OEMs and users greater flexibility to employ planetary gearheads for smaller, but still highly dynamic tasks in packaging, printing, labelling and x-y positioning.

In common with existing units in the PG range, the new PG 25 gearhead offers all the traditional advantages of a planetary gearbox design: low weight, compactness and low noise, plus a combination of high efficiency and a low moment of inertia: two factors which keep energy losses to a minimum.

Also intrinsic to the design is a high degree of torsional rigidity.

It is this, and the guaranteed low levels of backlash, which makes the PG gear units particularly suitable for servo drive systems requiring exceptional levels of positional accuracy and reliability.

Key to the consistent and reliable performance of the PG gearheads is a specification that includes precision ground gears and high quality roller bearings.

Precision gear grinding (in pairs) is the reason for the extremely low backlash performance throughout the range, down to less than or equal to 3arc-min.

It also provides benefits in terms of quiet operation, with noise levels in the order of less than or equal to 65dB.

The roller bearings allow higher loads on the output shaft.

Their endurance, in combination with the high duty gearing, allows repeated stopping of the gearmotor without detracting from its precision performance.

Maximum convenience and installation cost savings are provided to the machine builder by the ability of the PG gearheads to be integrated easily on any machine.

The flexible design gives the user the choice of two attachment options: a shrunk fit connection with clamping element on a flat shaft, or a machined shaft with key way and feather key.

This flexibility also extends to the connection of belt pulleys, with direct and overhung attachments able to be accommodated thanks to supports that cater for high radial loads.

Finally, the gearheads can be mounted in any orientation as a result of their using grease lubrication rather than oil.

The close integration of manufacturing, component selection and assembly in the production of the gearheads ensures a long service life, typically 15kh.

The provision of lifetime grease lubrication means that operation is essentially maintenance-free during this life span.

This is true even in adverse environments where the fully enclosed design, with IP65 ingress protection, guarantees reliable performance.

The PG gearheads are available in both single and twin stage units variants in a range of ratios between 4:1 and 100:1.

The gearheads are rated for motor input speeds from 3000 to 10,000rev/min as standard, and are suitable for use with a wide range of motor frame sizes.