Leading the way in planetary gear unit innovation, SEW-EURODRIVE is extending its reach across a growing range of industries, delivering the advantages of this powerful technology through locally engineered solutions that ensure faster lead times.

Nick McKey,  Business Development Representative at SEW-EURODRIVE, explains that planetary gear units are perfectly suited to applications demanding low speeds and high torque. SEW-EURODRIVE has tailored its solutions to meet the needs of heavy-duty sectors like sugar and mining as well as diverse industries including automotive and food processing.

“Our SEW P2.e planetary units, for example, are the first in their class to feature a planetary head directly coupled to an electric motor,” McKey says. “This design maximises one of their key advantages - a compact footprint and reduced weight - making them easy to integrate into a wide range of applications.”

Their smaller size and lighter weight allow these planetary gear units to be installed in tight spaces and overhung applications, while also simplifying installation and lowering associated costs.

“On top of these benefits, SEW-EURODRIVE enhances energy efficiency by equipping all our units with premium efficiency motors,” McKey adds. “Planetary gears already achieve an impressive 96 to 98% efficiency and by pairing them with our IE3 motors we help customers further reduce power consumption and operating costs.”

SEW-EURODRIVE has also boosted the efficiency and longevity of its geared motors and industrial gearboxes through the use of its specialised gear oil, which has been well received by local customers.

“We now use this oil across all our gearboxes, and it is enabling them to run at cooler temperatures - delivering improved efficiency and extending service life for our customers,” McKey says.

McKey notes that SEW-EURODRIVE’s planetary gear units are designed for easy installation, offering multiple interface options such as torque arms or flange mounting whether vertically, horizontally, or at various pivoting angles.

“With our technological advancements making these units significantly more compact, they now integrate seamlessly into a wide range of end-user applications,” he explains. “It is a major evolution from the older-generation planetary drives which were typically large, bulky and heavy.”

McKey highlights the increasing demand for shorter lead times in supplying planetary gearboxes - an area where SEW-EURODRIVE stands out thanks to its substantial stockholding at its expansive Aeroton facility in Johannesburg. The company is currently advancing a second phase of development at the site to further strengthen its local engineering, training and manufacturing capabilities.

“With the wide variety of components we keep in stock locally, we are able to offer a broad selection of planetary heads in different sizes,” he says. “This allows us to meet specific gear ratio and power requirements and assemble complete solutions right here in South Africa.”

McKey underscores SEW-EURODRIVE’s strong focus on project planning and engineering to ensure each planetary gearbox is precisely matched to the customer’s application in terms of size and torque. Unlike many off-the-shelf offerings in the market, every unit assembled at the Aeroton facility is custom built to meet exact specifications.

“We maintain tight control over our local parts inventory, allowing us to deliver solutions quickly without compromising on quality,” he says. “Our engineering department plays a central role in the design of our industrial gearboxes including our planetary units, ensuring optimal performance and reliability.”

As part of the design process, customers receive CAD drawings, detailed data books and comprehensive project plans, giving them full visibility into the solution being developed. SEW-EURODRIVE’s engineering team can also run performance simulations to show exactly how the gearbox will operate under site-specific conditions.

“This level of technical support gives our customers real peace of mind,” says McKey. “They know they are not only getting a fast turnaround but also a solution engineered to deliver maximum value and reliability for their operations.”