Conveyors are used in a wide range of industries to move products and materials efficiently. In most instances, belt conveyors are used to transport products on flat levels or long slight slopes. Belt conveyors are driven by a shaft mounted gear motor drive where the gearbox does not extend beyond the motor housing. A gear motor drive is usually integrated with back stop devices to ensure that there is no reversal in direction when the motor is shut off.
Making the choice for gear motor drive
It can be quite daunting for design engineers to choose the most efficient and highest quality motors but is has become easier through the use of a gear motor drive. Many vendors make the effort to call the attention of industries towards their motors and gearboxes by promising their products to be the most efficient and precise but one thing that is more important is to consider the application. There are several design parameters in the choice for gear motor drive for speed reduction application. In order to achieve the best match between the gear motor drive and application, it would be helpful to make a checklist that includes input power source, ambient temperature and application temperature, gear motor specifications that include size, weight, maintenance and noise and gear motor performance.
Using all the design inputs, it is important to determine which of the parameters best apply to the application. To best suit the application, motors and gear boxes can be mixed and matched as necessary although in the end it would be the gear motor that will be the driving factor. There are a good number of motors and gearboxes that can be combined like the right angle work gear, planetary and parallel shaft gearboxes. An ideal match can be achieved with permanent magnet DC, Ac induction or brushless DC motors. However, take note that there are combinations considered to be more cost effective and efficient.
When selecting the gear motor for the applications, you can choose the motor and gearbox separately and then have them assembled. You also have the option to choose the pre-engineered gear motor drive to reduce design time and product risks. All the parameters that you have collected including performance calculations will ensure proper component matching. The gear motor curve which is provided by the vendor displays speed, torque and efficiency. By knowing speed and torque measurements, it will help in selecting the performance curves the will match the requirements.
After selecting the performance curve that suits the application, it is time for the design engineer to review information provided by the manufacturer on performance calculations so that it can be used to determine if there will be eventual issues with the gear motor. Performing several tests in sample environment will best reflect typical operating scenarios. If extreme motor heat is encountered with unnatural noises, it is important to repeat the selection process. Lack of testing can may result into several problems in the future that is why it is advised to invest some time and effort in the selection process.