Gearboxes are also used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, and manage the speed, operations and workflow of the machines used: from the phase of creating the chemical bases to the packaging of the finished product. Some laboratory plants and the production cycle of medical products, or more generally of synthetic substances, find the presence of epicycloidal gearboxes, gearboxes with parallel axis and gearboxes with orthogonal axis.
In these sectors it is necessary to pay attention to the very sensitive and sometimes sterile environments, in which very strict sanitary rules apply. These are complex and delicate activities that require compliance with precise safety and hygiene criteria in all stages of processing.
Relying on a Gearboxes producer that provides repair and maintenance services is important in these sectors, since these are fundamental components for the production of sensitive materials that need high efficiency, and a maniacal care for the details. In fact, in the design and installation of a chemical or pharmaceutical plant it is essential to use equipment constructed of materials suitable for the fluids used in the various phases of the typical production process. Moreover, there are many industries that need precise and efficient machines for the dosing of materials (either raw material, whatever it is, or the finished product): food, beverage, pharmaceutical, etc.
Specific characteristics of Gearboxes in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors
There are different types of plants for the chemical-pharmaceutical industry, which are used both for the mixing of the preparations and for the final packaging of drugs and the disposal of waste products. Gearboxes for these industries are designed with features that can support stringent demands on chemical applications, such as:
- Larger Load Capacity
- High Efficiency
- Long Life
- Silent and Smooth Mesh
- Wide Range of Reduction Ratios
- Compact, Lightweight Design
- Energy Saving
- High corrosion resistance
- Dimensional stability
- Chemical-grade materials and finishes
In short, the gearboxes used in this sector must be light, reliable products, with an excellent price/performance ratio, low installation costs, ease of assembly and disassembly for maintenance, compact design and minimum overall dimensions.
Planetary gearboxes are designed to withstand the high radial stresses present in this kind of application.
The constructive solutions of the gearmotors, both in line and orthogonal, allow to mount the motor provided with the suitable motor flange to the gearbox (for further information read the article Customizable and modular square flanges), or to apply an input shaft for a connection through elastic coupling (for more information read the article The elastic coupling)
Absolute reliability, low maintenance, compact dimensions and great competitiveness are the salient features of these gear units with a high load capacity and radial and axial support.
The plants for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry are united by some peculiarities:
- they must not be deformed even in the case of severe temperature variations
- they can be subjected to repeated cycles of sterilization without undergoing any alteration
- they have surface finishes with limited roughness values.
For these sectors it is necessary that the gearbox can enjoy an easy assembly in the application, and it is important to provide various customized reduction solutions to customers in the chemical industry.
Machinery where Gearboxes are used
The machinery of the chemical and pharmaceutical industry in which gearboxes are most important are:
- Turbo Compressors
- Chemical Mixers and liquid mixers
- Pump Drives
- Turbine Drives and Generators
- Centrifugal Pumps (both light and heavy)
- Draft Fans
- Agitators
- Dryers
- Drums
- Cooling systems
- Filling equipment
- Process systems and machinery.
