Electrical switching & drive systems & components


Geared servo motors for food and beverage project

First Quarter 2020 Electrical switching & drive systems & components

SEW-Eurodrive supplied 64 Movigear geared servo motors to a major local OEM. Based in Paarl, H.G. Molenaar in turn designed, manufactured and supplied a weighing conveyor system to a leading German company in the frozen fish and vegetable packing sector.

The system comprises a central conveyor fed by eight smaller weighing conveyors, each containing the various frozen food products to be mixed according to specification. Each conveyor has a separate loadcell to determine the exact weight of the component products. Meanwhile, the overall speed, precision and quality of the entire process is controlled by a master PLC.

The Movigear solution is ideal for this application due to its 200:1 speed range, together with the fact that these units are designed specifically for the strict hygiene requirements of the food and beverage industry. Panel space was a definite consideration with this project, which meant there was no space for centralised, bulky speed controllers. Hence the compact modularity of the Movigear units was ideal. Another feature is onboard input/output controls that interact directly with the Movigear electronics, meaning no additional wiring to the master PLC. Thus, all control is via the SBUS protocol directly from the master PLC daisy-chained to the drives themselves.

In addition, the turnkey solution provided by SEW-Eurodrive had to contend with an extreme temperature range from -25 to 25°C. A special oil for food and beverage applications was also required to protect against any harm caused in the unlikely event of any leaks developing.


Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

New generation low power frequency inverters
Bearing Man Group T/A BMG Electrical switching & drive systems & components
New to BMG’s electromechanical range are energy-efficient Synergy PI150 series frequency inverters, which have been designed for efficient use in many applications.

Read more...
Planar motor system for quality assurance
Beckhoff Automation Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Achieving the shortest possible inspection times, even when working with different components, is paramount when it comes to series production. This is precisely what special machine builder, stoba Sondermaschinen set out to achieve with its InspectorONE optical inspection system, which is based on deep learning and features the Beckhoff XPlanar planar motor system at the conveyor system core.

Read more...
Siemens elevates automotive and aerospace simulation
Siemens South Africa Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced the latest update to its Simcenter portfolio, delivering advancements in aerostructure analysis, electric motor design, gear optimisation and smart virtual sensing. These enhancements are designed to streamline workflows, accelerate certification and provide deeper insights into system performance.

Read more...
Turbomachinery controls: the call of duty
Schneider Electric South Africa Electrical switching & drive systems & components
There’s a lot to be said about the unsung heroes of this world; those men, women and machines that deliver such important functions, often overlooked and recognised. One such machine is turbomachinery, and while the name does sound quite obvious to the layman, its rich history and daily functions are not.

Read more...
More movement in the market
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Aerotech aims to revolutionise the market for precision motion and machine controls with an intuitive control platform.

Read more...
Motion technology for all types of automation
Bearing Man Group T/A BMG News & events Electrical switching & drive systems & components
BMG has been appointed by The Timken Company as a distributor in southern Africa for the Rollon linear motion guidance system.

Read more...
SEW-EURODRIVE’s new service and repair centre
SEW-EURODRIVE News & events
As part of its strategy to ‘close the loop’ in its service offering, SEW-EURODRIVE has broken ground on a new 17 000 m2 Service and Repair Centre. The establishment of the state-of-the-art facility plugs the gap for expert repair services for gearboxes in Africa.

Read more...
Servo motor series for explosive environments with expanded certification
Parker Hannifin - Sales Company South Africa Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Parker Hannifin’s ongoing commitment to safety and performance in hazardous environments is evident in the new certifications and product improvements for its EY and EX servo motor series.

Read more...
The world’s most powerful worm
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Geothermal energy from the natural heat of the Earth is an inexhaustible resource, yet the growth of the global geothermal power sector lags behind other renewable energies. Now Swiss startup, Borobotics is hoping to speed this up with its innovative new electric-powered geothermal drilling robot, which can be used to fast-track and lower the cost of heat pump installations in confined spaces.

Read more...
The impact of gearless mill drive technology on CO2 emissions
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
ABB has released an in-depth white paper detailing the vital role that gearless grinding technologies can play in driving productivity in mining while simultaneously reducing their carbon footprint.

Read more...