High power drives find myriad uses in Australia’s mining industry

Some of the most powerful drives ever engineered in Australasia by Bonfiglioli are featured in the company’s range of HD Hi-Torque drives in capacities up to 1,155 kW and 1,195,000 Nm of torque. With ratios from 23:1 up to 5000:1, the drives combine new generation HD helical drives now being assembled in Australia with Bonfiglioli’s compact and widely used Trasmital planetary drives.

The Managing Director of Bonfiglioli Transmission (Australia), Malcolm Lewis, says that the integration of the two high efficiency drives produces an outstanding combination drive for uses such as:

  • Materials handling, including conveyor drives, belt feeders, apron feeders and screw feeders
  • Cranes, hoists winches and mobile machines including stacker/reclaimers and travel and slew drives
  • Water treatment, including agitators, stirrers and mixers
  • Minerals processing, including thickeners and clarifiers
  • Pumps and fans.

“By combining two drives, it is possible to achieve the optimal ratio for individual customer applications,” says Lewis. “This flexibility – combined with comprehensive in-house engineering, assembly and quality testing – means we can deliver exactly what the customer needs and at the time they need it.”

Hi-Torque combination drives produce very high power transmission efficiencies, Bonfiglioli reports. “The fully hardened and ground alloy helical gears, in conjunction with high-strength planetary spur gears, result in reducers that provide up to 91% efficiency in four-stage form.”

“When you couple a helical bevel with a planetary unit, the combination gearbox can transmit very high torques with large motor powers at output speeds normally associated with materials handling. The unique planetary design also allows for even torque transmission, with force distributed evenly though the gear cases,” said Lewis.

The design also offers reduced noise emissions, increased thermal capacities and numerous mounting and shaft options.