Planetary gearheads!

Thomson has added a new model to its TRUE high-performance planetary gearhead product range, which is characterised by particularly impressive water tightness and corrosion resistance as a result of its hermetically sealed design. The AquaTRUE™ planetary gearheads have been specially developed for applications in which the components used must meet the most stringent of requirements in terms of their water tightness. These include, for example, systems in the food processing and beverage industries, in which components are exposed to high-pressure washdown or caustic cleaning chemicals during cleaning operations. AquaTRUE™ are the first, and currently the only planetary gearheads certified in accordance with NSF/ANSI 169. Furthermore, only lubricants approved by the FDA are used in all models. Yet another benefit to this field of application is the round, fully stainless steel housing that is produced without seams and features a permanently laser-etched rating plate. This ensures that there are no crevices in which bacteria could potentially accumulate and it is thus ideally suited to applications with stringent hygiene requirements.

The new models prove an interesting alternative, not only in the food processing and beverage industry, but also for other industrial sectors. One particularly challenging, possible application is water jet cutting systems where the reliable sealing of metal components against high water pressure and chemicals plays a vital role. Since all AquaTRUE™ planetary gearheads are manufactured in line with IP66/IP67 and IP69K degrees of protection as standard, they can be used here without concern. In this case, additional protection or seals are a thing of the past, which is a benefit both in terms of the purchase price and ease of maintenance. What is more, stainless steel external components eliminate the concern for rust or any type of corrosion.

Other applications for AquaTRUE™ planetary gearheads include food packaging, beverage filling machines, medical technology equipment, pharmaceutical laboratory and production facilities, slicing machines in meat processing and applications with cleaning procedures that utilise high levels of water or chemicals.

These planetary gearheads are available in sizes of 60, 80, 120 and 160 mm; with a maximum degree of precision of 13 arc minutes. At a torque capacity of up to 876 Nm, they support gearing up and gearing down from 1:3 to 10:1 in a single stage.