Planetary Gearbox Repairs - Highfield Gears

Planetary Gearbox Repairs

Named because of its similarity to the movement of the planets in the solar system, Planetary Gearboxes, or as they are sometimes called, Epicyclic Gearboxes provide a wide range of businesses and organisations with the most effective methods to help power their industrial machinery.

Here at Highfield Gears, we have decades of experience working with this type of gearbox and understand the need for precision and care for the gear unit to create the correct torque output.

Our years of working with a range of gearboxes, from Extruder Gearboxes to Bevel Helical and Worm Gearboxes, gives us the technical production capabilities and invaluable knowledge to repair, recondition or upgrade not only these transmissions but Planetary Gearboxes too. Our primary focus is our dedication to quality, from the smallest components of the gearbox to the bigger, more fundamental elements that make transmission drives, up to 18 tonnes, run your business. This understanding makes us confident that we can help you with your low or high torque planetary gearboxes.

If you’re a business or organisation that uses this type of gearbox and you require component parts or you need it repaired, reconditioned or upgraded entirely then be sure to get in touch with us at Highfield Gears today. Our experience means we can help repair any brand of gearbox from companies such as David Brown, Radicon, Renold, Flender, Siemens, Hansen, Chemineer and Sumitomo – so do not hesitate to reach out. We’ve helped businesses across the UK in areas such as Glasgow, Newcastle, York and Birmingham as well as further afield in the country and Europe so be sure to give us a call on 01484 531 010 or email us at sales@hgi-uk.co.uk – we look forward to hearing about how we can help you.

What Is A Planetary Gearbox and How Does It Work?

This type of gearbox is one where the input shafts and the output shafts are aligned and are often used to produce the largest torque in the most compact, convenient form, this is known as torque density. While the actual inventor of the gearbox is not known, noted Italian polymath Leonardo Da Vinci described it in his work during the 1490s.

Planetary gearboxes are favoured by businesses who use high torque and low-speed applications, where a shock load capacity is anticipated. The design of the gearbox centres around one small gear called the sun gear. This central gear is surrounded by three planetary gears which are themselves encased in an internal gear. These three orbiting components form, on their face, quite a complicated and difficult system; however, for a lot of businesses, this compact structure is the optimum solution.

Details, Benefits, And Industrial Applications

Thanks to their ability to provide rapid, reliable gearbox speed for a wide range of applications that require continuous operation, planetary gears and gearboxes are widely used.

Based on modular design principles, they can be configured in several ways to suit different needs. Configurations such as right-angle triple reduction, right angle double reduction, and parallel shaft double reduction gearing are all options that a user can benefit from.

At Highfield Gears, we’re able to deal with all versions of these units – be it to repair, recondition, or upgrade them.

Other details include the 2 to 5 gearing options, providing yet more range. There are also flange and foot mounting options, as well as solid and hollow output shaft variations. All of which provide different output torque, gear transmission ratios, and speed ratios.

In terms of applications, a broad range of sizes is used in multiple applications for cyclic operation. The conveyor belt sector frequently uses these gearboxes because of their ability to handle axial loads and power electric motors which drive belts, be they production line belts, or those found in supermarkets.

In the water sector, these gearbox types are used to power water turbines. The epicyclic gearing systems are perfect for powering these giant turbines which are used to convert the energy contained in water, into electricity.

As well as these two prominent examples, planetary gearing is used in:

  • Agitators.
  • Auxiliary drive.
  • Chipboard press.
  • Pumps.
  • Paper machinery.
planetary gearbox repair specialists

Where Is The Planetary Gearbox Usually Used?

This now-common gear design is used in four different ways during the transmission phase.

Planetary gear sets can be used in robots to increase torque. If increased input power is needed for a particular application, the amount of rotational force can be increased by using these units. The rotation of the planet gears around the central sun gear make them extremely useful in printing presses. The epicyclic gears can help to reduce the speed of the rollers and make for a more appropriate level of movement. These are also used for machinery that requires precise positioning. No matter what you use your planetary gearbox for, be it to increase torque or ensure precise positioning, we have years of experience to be able to optimise the gear transmission ratio.

We can ensure each delicately positioned component is sufficiently lubricated and working perfectly.

Benefits And Drawbacks Of Planetary Gear Sets

Their design criteria allow these types of units to meet a range of application factors.

They do this while needing very little maintenance and will last for a very long time. Weighing up whether or not your organisation needs to invest in a planetary gearbox can be tricky. Thankfully, our decades of work with them has allowed us to neatly summarise the benefits and drawbacks of these gearboxes. Said pros and cons are detailed below:

Advantages

Advantages

High torque transmission – The rotational power found in them is a real advantage and makes them suitable for a host of applications, big or small.

Quiet – The various components can roll off on one another and, as a result, create very little noise making them ideal in places where noise levels need to be kept to a minimum.

Compact size – Their high torque and near-silent operation are all housed in a relatively small footprint. This is because the number of gears inside the gear casing can produce a similar level of power when compared to a standard worm gearbox, for instance. Again, this makes them perfect if you need the transmission in a small or discreet place.

Disadvantages

Disadvantages

Complex – Their complex design and delicately positioned gears make them a more expensive option than those that can be mass-produced.

Expensive – This complexity means that more specialist solutions are needed which often results in the owner having to spend more money.

Poor heat dissipation – Their small design doesn’t allow for very much heat dissipation. Therefore, applications that require high speeds or constant usage may have to be cooled in some way.

Our Capabilities With This Range Of Gearboxes

At Highfield Gears, we have a wide range of technical and practical capabilities that can help solve your planetary gearbox issues. From the moment your planetary gearbox arrives into our Huddersfield gear shop, we'll begin by applying our decades worth of knowledge to work out what is wrong, fix it and, most importantly, put solutions in place so that this problem, among many others, do not occur in the future.

We’ll work out your specifications and then our team will get to work stripping, reconditioning or creating a range of brand new parts for your planetary gearboxes so that, before you know it, it is back powering your machinery and electric motors, and is helping to grow your business. We have experience with high-end planetary gearboxes from companies such as Guinness and Ineos and have dealt with, and solved, a lot of common problems to do with this complex gear type.

The team here at Highfield Gears have worked hard to garner high levels of customer satisfaction when it comes to this type of gearbox. We’ve achieved this because we’re able to listen, understand what is wrong and offer cutting-edge solutions at a reasonable price. Our in-house machining capabilities, be it our CNC machine, fitting bays or load test facilities mean we can offer a one-stop-shop service, not only does this reduce your downtime, but it also allows our Huddersfield gear experts to track and monitor quality to ensure everything, from gear ratios to shaft outputs to the radial load capacity, is at a level that is correct for you and your business. We take our customer service just as seriously as our gear manufacturing and reconditioning and will be in constant contact with you providing pictures, analysis and thorough reports so that you feel comfortable that not only are you getting good ROI, but you’re working with a serious, knowledgeable group.

Why Choose A Planetary Gearbox?

There are plenty of reasons to choose a planetary gearbox. One of the main reasons a business might use these planetary drives is that it offers a compact, lightweight and stable solution. And, as we mentioned, if you need high torque to weight capabilities then this might be a suitable option for you. With efficiency values ranging from 0.97 to 0.98, planetary drives are extremely popular and, because the planet gears rotate inside the annulus and are split over the carriers, the torque capacity is far greater than other types of transmissions.

These gearboxes are modular meaning they can be combined with other gearboxes, such as bevel gearboxes, to suit individual specifications and applications. This modular feature, and the fact you can change which gear remains fixed and which gear you use as an input or output, create a huge range of gear ratios. This range of options is why these gearboxes are used by worldwide leaders in wind power, machine tools, chemical plants and hoisting systems.

The Three Types Of Planetary Gear Sets

In general, there are three different types of planetary gearbox. These are wheel drive, shaft output, and spindle output. We’ve gone into them in a little more detail below.

Wheel Drive

Here, the sun gear drives the surrounding planetary gears which are fixed to a carrier. The sun gear is driven, and the planet gears then rotate the outer ring gear. The wheels can be mounted over the housing of the gearbox.

Shaft Output

In a shaft drive gearbox, the sun gear drives the surrounding gears, like the wheel drive. However, the only difference is that they are housed in a rotating carrier, rather than being fixed. The gear housing is fixed directly to the machine and the output is on a rotating shaft.

Spindle Output

The spindle version of this gear unit works in the same way as the shaft output. The only difference is that the output is supplied as a flange.

How Do I Know Which Planetary Gearbox I Need?

Your choice of gear unit depends on factors that are unique to you - from the right gear transmission ratio to gear size, and speed ratios - it all depends on what outcome you want.

With planetary gearboxes, in particular, the balance between size, efficiency, performance, and cost, is essential. Our team at Highfield Gears can consult with you and recondition your unit to your exacting needs. We are capable of this because of our deep understanding of speeds, torque, functions, and applications.

Get In Touch To Learn More

So, whether you’re an expert in this field and require bespoke solutions or you’re someone with little experience when it comes to planetary gearboxes and needs advice, help and a team of experts, then be sure to get in touch with Highfield Gears today by phone on 01484 531 010 or email us at sales@hgi-uk.co.uk.

As we mentioned, we have worked with countless businesses and organisations across the UK in places such as Liverpool, London and Manchester as well as with companies in Europe, so no matter where you’re based don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.