Editor's Choice


New Black Bruin hydraulic motors for heavy-duty applications

Second Quarter 2024 Editor's Choice Hydraulic systems & components

Axiom Hydraulics and Black Bruin have been working together since the late 1990s, serving southern Africa’s fluid power, mining, industrial, agriculture and marine industries. Black Bruin is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of radial piston motors, which excel in applications requiring low-speed and high-torque power. Now Black Bruin is extending its rotating shaft motor portfolio. With a patent pending design, the new X-series is engineered to enhance the performance of both new and existing machinery in terms of durability, serviceability and cost-effectiveness. The range currently available covers displacements from 2512 to 8800 cm3.

Tradition meets innovation

The X-series represents the design principles of Black Bruin industrial motors in general, featuring a robust piston design with high power and serviceability. The bearing design allows it to handle extreme axial and radial loads. “Our experience in LSHT radial piston cam ring technology and its applications spans over 65 years. Since we introduced the rotating shaft S-series in 2014, these motors have been successfully used in a wide range of industrial applications. Our product development team is dedicated to continuous improvement, driven by our invaluable feedback from the market. These refinements have paved the way to the X-series. With this new series of hydraulic motors, we can offer a reliable alternative that integrates seamlessly into industrial setups where compactness is a crucial factor, requiring few or no modifications or conversion costs,” says Pietu Lehtikuusi, manager of the Industrial Business Segment at Black Bruin.

Patent pending design

The X-series has a patent pending construction in which the robust piston design and flow-optimised hydraulic fluid channels are ingeniously applied in a compact frame size. This results in a more efficient hydraulic motor, due to improved hydraulic fluid distribution with less pressure losses. The piston design allows the motor to operate trouble-free in various hydraulic systems and with a wide range of oil viscosities and cleanliness levels, thereby minimising the risk of damage. With replaceable and affordable wear parts, maintenance intervals can also be extended, thereby reducing overall operating costs. The bearing arrangement improves durability, ensuring smooth operation and an extended lifespan. The rugged front bearing handles both axial and radial loads, allowing the motor to be used in many different applications, with different load characteristics.

A special relationship

Axiom engineer, Eugene Tondolo says that Black Bruin motors are one of the most important products in Axiom’s portfolio. They are incredibly versatile and tough, and they never have quality problems. They have proved themselves as an outstanding product in demanding environments, and can be installed almost anywhere. Axiom has installed them in applications ranging from a large salt harvesting machine to drive the cutter heads, to massive conveyor belts to drive conveyor systems, to a copper mill to rotate the copper furnace. Black Bruin motors can turn or drive virtually anything, all with high torque, excellent control, stability and a flexible design.

A unique formula

Established in 1959, Axiom is one of South Africa’s oldest hydraulic companies, specialising in the design, supply, repair, reconditioning, and servicing of a wide range of hydraulic equipment. It has supported the mining industry in South Africa for over 50 years, and takes great pride in its culture of approachability and accessibility, seeing it as one of its biggest assets. Tondolo says that they are involved in design from very small machines to extremely large ones. No customer is too small or too big, and this philosophy has greatly improved the highly motivated design team’s insight and capabilities for industrial design and machine development. They have been able to assist OEMs when no one else could.

Axiom has increased its stock significantly. With an impressive stockholding in its new 900 m2 hydraulics facility, it can manufacture a manifold of controlled systems, or deliver full transmissions in a very short space of time. This ability to react quickly puts it far ahead of many other companies.

An outstanding reputation

“With Black Bruin motors we can turn anything that needs turning. The fact that Black Bruin motors enjoy the reputation they have earned for reliability in South Africa and Africa at large is a testament to this excellent product,” he concludes.


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