SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa has secured an order for nine new X.e series agitator industrial gear units, said to be particularly suitable for the harsh African operating environment.

In what the company considers an historic event, it will be delivering the first nine units to the mining industry.

The agitators boast high permissible forces, bending moments and operational reliability, and are especially suitable for mixing and blending liquids, making them  suited for all high-performance agitating and mixing applications.

“The X.e agitator units are ideal for applications where high-power ratings are required for stirring and mixing materials, and what is significant is that we can customise these agitator units to suit the customer’s specifications,” explains SEW-EURODRIVE engineering manager Jarrod Futter. “For example, we offer various bearing and shafting options and modular systems for the unit which can be selected to meet the customer’s budget and expectations.”

The X3FSM240e HD version was selected to meet the customer’s requirements for nine low-ratio and moderately high torque and force applications. The selection process depended on multiple factors, including the input speed, motor power, loading distance, axial loading and radial loading in the application and required output speed.

The X.e agitator is designed for mixing and agitation with a stronger and dynamically improved housing. This allows for higher radial load applications, with a maximised bearing distance and an intelligent housing split above the maximum oil level to minimise potential leaks and offer better servicing and maintenance capabilities. The unit also features a new robust, integrated foot design with multiple aligned foot holes to allow for easy mounting and stiffness as well as thermal improvement.

During the design process, Futter says that SEW-EURODRIVE applied the ‘digital-twin’ concept that ties real-world testing to a digital Finite Element Analysis. Explaining the process, Futter says this methodology allows the matching of real-time figures during testing to the digital analysis, achieving the same results.

The X.e agitator is said to have a unique application-specific reinforced and extended bearing distance concept, with the distance between the lower and upper output shaft bearing mounted further apart. This creates a greater shaft distance between these loading points, which allows the low-speed shaft to handle higher radial forces.

The unit features a pressurised internal lubrication system that allows for continuous oil flow to all upper bearings and gears to ensure the units are well lubricated, and the labyrinth seal ensures protection from external particles that may damage the oil seals. Offering three sizes with various torque ranges and gear units, SEW-EURODRIVE offers client-specific products encapsulated inside the gearbox for client and product protection.

The housing has been developed for easy servicing and maintenance, and the components are easily replaceable. Efficiency gains are attributed to using the X.e series gearing, which has been extensively adapted from the original X-series.