As its exhibition presence at Electra Mining Africa showed, SEW-EURODRIVE is rolling out an even greater selection of planetary drives as part of its strategy to ‘close the loop’ in its product offerings by expanding into more industry sectors.

Among the new ranges being introduced into South Africa are its SEW PPK series and the SEW P2.e series of planetary gear units – both showcasing new opportunities for industrial gearbox users. According to Jonathan McKey, National Sales and Marketing Manager at SEW-EURODRIVE, these new additions to the local range highlight the company’s global engineering and applications capabilities.

“The PPK series was originally developed by SEW-EURODRIVE in Brazil, for instance, to serve their large and thriving sugar sector,” says McKey. “Our design and engineering experts in Germany then further leveraged these advances when they developed the SEW P2.e series – aimed at larger applications.”

He emphasises that both series built upon the key benefits that planetary gear units present to customers: a compact solution for space-constrained conditions, alongside high torque and low speed outputs. The SEW PPK series delivers 10 to 18 kNm of torque with a ratio range from 65:1 to 390:1, while the SEW P2.e series encompasses torque ratings from 24 to 124 kNm with ratios from 15,2:1 to 332:1.

“The SEW PPK satisfies the need for a lower torque requirement, and is well suited to southern hemisphere markets,” he explains. The ratio can be further reduced by the addition of a primary reducer before the planetary head, to reach ratios up to 10,650:1 – for a much lower speed capability.

The SEW P2.e was then developed with all these benefits, but with a broader spectrum of diversity in its speed – up to 100 rpm – as well as in ratio and torque, he says. While most planetary gearboxes have a three-stage design, the SEW P2.e can also be supplied in a two-stage model.

Greg Lewis, SEW-EURODRIVE Business Development Manager for Projects, points out that the company has been careful to retain the same critical dimensions as previous SEW P-series models. This allows customers to migrate seamlessly to the more versatile SEW P2.e units without altering their operating environment or infrastructure.

Among the common applications in the mining sector for planetary gearboxes, says Lewis, are clarifiers, thickeners and apron feeders. Other industrial applications include slewing drives, screw feeders and wood panel presses.

“In the agricultural sector, sugar mills are big users of planetary units,” he says. “The SEW PPK series, arising as it did to serve the needs of sugar mills in Brazil, has exciting opportunities for application in African countries.”

McKey highlights another important aspect of these planetary ranges: their reduced weight compared to traditional technologies.

“A sugar mill’s crystalliser, for example, will conventionally have a multi-gear solution which applies considerable weight and strain on the system,” he explains. “A compact planetary unit from SEW-EURODRIVE can now deliver the same results with much less weight – within an integrated design. The benefits are also felt in less wear on components like bearings and the civils structures, which leads to less maintenance being required.”

Also, on SEW-EURODRIVE’s showcase of new products is its high performance ECO2 geared motors, designed in line with the company’s sustainability focus and the market’s growing demand for products that are more environmentally friendly in their manufacturing process. The ECO2 range boasts a coating-free design, so there are no solvents or coatings used on the outer surfaces. This makes these units efficient and reliable in indoor applications where humidity levels can reach 60%, and they can operate in temperatures between minus 20° C and 60° C. Their aluminium construction reacts with oxygen to form a thin protective layer; the ECO2 design also meets the requirements of ISO 12944 corrosive category 1.

On the automation side, a highlight of the SEW-EURODRIVE offering is the SEW MOVI-C® drive technology – a comprehensive modular automation system designed to provide seamless integration and high performance for various industrial applications.

Willem Strydom, SEW-EURODRIVE’s Manager Business Development Electronics points to applications like hoisting where MOVI-C® facilitates the use of regenerative power from braking and this energy can be fed back into the system or stored in battery packs. The MOVILINK® digital data interface (DDI) connects the drive train into the data system through a unique single hybrid cable solution

“This further allows customers to receive real-time information on a range of indices, such as energy efficiency, application performance and condition monitoring,” he says. “This differentiates us significantly in the market.

Making its debut appearance at NAMPO Cape in Bredasdorp this year, geared motor specialist SEW-EURODRIVE is all set to excite the farming community with even more solutions to drive productivity and efficiency. 

From its firm footprint in the agricultural sector – through packhouses and bottling facilities countrywide – SEW-EURODRIVE now takes its offerings onto the lands, for instance, with its quality gear units for centre pivots. Jonathan McKey, National Sales and Marketing Manager at SEW-EURODRIVE, says this is part of its continuous innovation to give farmers more energy efficient solutions for streamlined and automated operations.

“Our classic 7 Series geared motors have for many years proudly served the farming industry – in various packhouse applications including conveyors, sorters and box packaging lines,” says McKey. “These solutions have long been fitted with premium efficiency IE3 motors – which are also available as non-integral units – delivering considerable savings in energy costs.” 

Variable speed drive (VSD) technology allows for further efficiency and even the finetuning of production lines to suit the pace of demand. 

“As part of modernising packhouse facilities, VSDs allow solutions to be tailored to a changing production pattern,” he says. “Another opportunity for greater efficiency is our ECDriveS® drive system for roller conveyors in light duty materials handling.”

McKey emphasises the work SEW-EURODRIVE has done in ‘closing the loop’ to meet more of the drive requirements in farming. The company now supplies, installs and services the centre drive and wheel drives for pivot irrigation systems – as well as the drive technology to power them.

“These solutions have been popular on farms in Brazil since the 1980s,” he explains. “Similarities with South African conditions show that this offering will add value locally too.”

Aligning to the shaft sizes and flange connections on existing centre pivot irrigation equipment, SEW-EURODIVE provides a ‘plug and play’ solution of gearing, casing and motor. The concept is also more cost effective and sustainable, as the company will service and repair the drive systems – not just replace them. 

Underpinning the performance customers demand, SEW-EURODRIVE’s product quality and support means that the systems achieve the highest levels of uptime. The company’s extensive national service footprint and decentralised stocking policy means that servicing and parts are quickly available to customers within a matter of hours. 

“Every key agricultural region is well served by our comprehensively stocked facilities in Cape Town, Nelspruit and Gqeberha for current products as well it be for the pivot solution,” he says. “We appreciate that agricultural products are sensitive to time and delay, so we help ensure minimal downtime.”

McKey says SEW-EURODRIVE also recognises the importance of sustainability principles in agriculture, and builds this approach into its designs. The high performance ECO2 geared motor, for example, is made from uncoated aluminium, which forms a thin protective layer in contact with oxygen. With no coating or solvent on the surface, the result is more cost effective, environmentally friendly and easier to recycle.

The company has even developed its own premium lubricants, based on its decades of field experience. These boost operational performance by reducing friction between gear wheels, and extend the life of sealing rings. These innovations are ideal for applications in the food and beverages industry as well.

“Visit us at Stand T6 at NAMPO Cape in Bredasdorp,” says McKey. “We also look forward to talking to visitors about their aspirations to modernise their facilities, as we can walk this journey with them.”

With so much innovation to see, SEW-EURODRIVE has expanded its presence at Electra Mining Africa this year with added exhibition space in Hall 7 that showcases its innovations in automation and electronics. 

This exciting addition complements the company’s large landmark stand in Hall 6, which has always been a favourite for the event’s visitors, according to Jonathan McKey, National Sales and Marketing Manager at SEW-EURODRIVE. The message that the company is ‘closing the loop’ with its growing portfolio of product developments is loud and clear, says McKey.

“This means diversifying into a range of other opportunities within the mining and industrial sector value chains, with new products being introduced to support this strategy,” he explains. “We are already achieving this in agriculture, for instance, where in addition to our conveyor and pump solutions and variable speed drives in pack houses, we will further expand into pivot and wheel drives for applications on the lands.”

Visitors will also see how sustainability is built into the business’s growth into the continent, including the intensive upskilling underway at its local facilities in various African countries. 

“As leaders in this industry, we play a key role in empowering artisans – both in-house and for customers – through our Drive Academy which pushes the boundaries in augmented reality (AR) as a learning tool,” he says. “This all helps consolidate our foundation of expertise upon which the market relies.”

At the  SEW-EURODRIVE stand in Hall 6, visitors can witness new solutions like the purpose-built SEW X.e agitator, fresh from its launch in Europe last year. Also being launched is a range of planetary solutions that will close the loop in new market segments, as well as the new ECO2 design drive that features environmentally friendly manufacture. 

“We also look forward to discussing our DriveRadar technology with visitors, as the mining sector embraces predictive maintenance to achieve better uptime levels and enhance equipment lifespans,” he says. “Another sustainability focus as a good neighbour is our careful use of natural resources, including our own lubrication solution.”

Among the insights to be gained at SEW-EURODRIVE’s Hall 7 stand is the potential of the latest generation SEW MOVI-C® modular automation technology. This delivers advanced features in a format that is simpler to commission and use, says McKey. 

“We’ve refined this offering to ensure we can give customers those elements relevant to their business – so you get just what you need and have the advantage of being able to supplement later with more features,” he says. “It is easy to be overwhelmed by the complexity of automation in drive technology, so we remove this daunting experience and work closely with customers to migrate smoothly.”

Electra Mining Africa also allows visitors to physically meet the SEW-EURODRIVE experts that would accompany them through their automation journey. The company prides itself on supporting customers from the purchasing decision right through to commissioning and operation. 

“Our automation and electronics division walks with customers through the migration process so they don’t have to struggle on their own to get new systems to work,” he concludes. 

Visit SEW-EURODRIVE at Hall6 Stand J20 and Hall 7 Stand D4

In addition to its quality range of geared motors and related solutions, SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa is ‘closing the loop’ of products by offering customers electrical control panels as part of the package. 

According to Willem Strydom, Business Development Electronics Manager at SEW-EURODRIVE, there has been a strong trend in recent years of companies wanting to deal directly with original equipment suppliers (OEMs). The preference is moving toward a single source of supply to reduce cost and risk, and to simplify the supply chain.

“The market in many industries from mining to agriculture has made it clear that they can no longer afford ‘middlemen’ in the procurement process,” says Strydom. “Companies want to deal with one supplier, preferably a specialised OEM who has a depth of expertise and can stand behind their solutions with the necessary support.”

Responding to these customer needs, SEW-EURODRIVE has been pursuing a strategy of complementing its existing range by steadily adding more value – or closing the loop. Control panels are another vital aspect of most contracts in which the company is involved, so it has actively moved into this space to make it easier for customers.

“There are relatively few OEMs in our field in this region, which gives us the ability to broaden our offering while giving customers high quality solutions and peace of mind,” he says. “With one of the largest sales forces in the country with on the ground representation across Africa, SEW-EURODRIVE delivers outstanding service levels to support our depth of mechanical and electronic capability.”

The company’s in-house engineering team designs control panels for specific applications where its drive technology is being applied, and even provides the programming required. The local assembly of these units also aligns with many industries’ efforts to support the local economy and secure their supply chains against possible disruption. 

“Our customers are looking for the same high quality of ancillary equipment as they receive with all our other products and solutions,” says Strydom. “With our established reputation in the market, customers trust that we will deliver what they need.”

The quality design and manufacture of SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa’s panels and enclosures can be suited to any customer requirement, including floor mounts or wall mounts – and with ingress protection (IP) ratings up to IP65 or whatever the application demands. The panels can also be supplied for containerised solutions such as e-houses, which are increasingly popular around Africa on remote mining sites as well as other industrial applications.

“While our focus in the past has been on our specialised componentry and solutions, our customers have requested our broader involvement in their projects – leading to us entering this important space,” he concludes. “This has further cemented our relationships with customers, through being able to assume responsibility for a wider scope.”

Leading automation giant, SEW-EURODRIVE, is set to enhance a US-based vehicle manufacturing plant with its cutting-edge decentralised drive technology, specifically from their Generation C range.

This advanced technology will be incorporated into a brand-new storage and retrieval system at this automotive manufacturing facility. The primary objective is to streamline the supply of vehicle bodies to the existing manufacturing unit, in a bid to meet the soaring demand for vehicles and to bolster the plant’s production capacity.

Highlighting the significance of securing the order, Phillip Steyn, SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa Gqeberha Branch Manager, says the company has a solid track record in supplying drive technology solutions to the automotive industry.

“We have consistently demonstrated our commitment to innovation and our drive technology solutions continue to play a pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency, precision and reliability of manufacturing processes within the automotive sector,” he says. “Whether it’s providing advanced gearmotors, precision control systems or customised automation solutions, we contribute significantly to the industry’s ability to meet the demands of an ever-evolving market.”

Steyn points out the strong global support network of SEW-EURODRIVE, which offers unparalleled logistical flexibility. This ensures optimal shipping strategies including some drives being shipped directly from Germany to the US, while others are directed to the company’s facility in Gqeberha.

“We have strategically planned our deliveries in phases, tailored to the project’s requirements. Project completion is scheduled for September 2024,” adds Steyn.

“It’s noteworthy that this particular vehicle manufacturer relies consistently on SEW-EURODRIVE’s drive technology for all its global facilities. Specifically for this project, over 300 units from the Generation C range will be incorporated and this decentralised technology will facilitate independent and collaborative operations of the drives, either positioned on or near the motor in the field,” he explains.

“These units have been meticulously designed to resonate with the fast-paced dynamics of the automotive sector, ensuring a seamless process flow and top-tier production efficiency,” Steyn says. The decentralised drives will be integrated with SEW-EURODRIVE’s Digital Data Interface (DDI) platform and state-of-the-art servo technology for peak energy efficiency.

He elaborates on the advantages of decentralised tech over its centralised counterpart, underscoring its sustainability and consistency. “All products in our decentralised range share a uniform controller and interface, enhancing user experience and flexibility, with reduced spare parts inventory.”

The end-users stand to gain significantly as well. They can expect quicker and cost effective installations, faster maintenance response times and minimal disruptions, paving the way for uninterrupted productivity.

Offering a complete gear solution for centre pivot irrigation systems, SEW-EURODRIVE brings its quality products and support as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) closer to South Africa’s farming sector.

“As a key strategic sector in this country, the agricultural industry deserves to be serviced by OEMs – not just by resellers of imported products,” says Jonathan McKey, National Sales and Marketing Manager at SEW-EURODRIVE. “As a global company with a world class reputation, our strong local footprint across South Africa, and Africa, ensures that the farming community gets the support it needs from us.”

Through its strategy of ‘closing the loop’, SEW-EURODRIVE is able to supply, install and service the centre drive and wheel drives for pivot irrigation systems – as well as the drive technology to power the system.

“Our SEW-EURODRIVE gearbox solutions have proven themselves in this application since the 1980s in Brazil, where numerous units are sold every month into their farming sector,” says McKey. “The similarities of the agricultural environment between our two countries have convinced us that our offering adds plenty of value locally.”

Aligning to the shaft sizes and flange connections on existing centre pivot irrigation equipment, SEW-EURODIVE provides a ‘plug and play’ solution of gearing, casing and motor. Willem Strydom, Business Development Manager: Electronics for SEW-EURODRIVE, emphasises that the company presents a game-changing concept in sustainability, serviceability and cost effectiveness, which is exactly what the local agricultural sector needs.

“Generally, the drive systems on this type of equipment are simply replaced when they no longer perform, and there is little capability in South Africa to repair them,” says Strydom. “Not only will we assemble our own gearboxes in-country, but we can also repair and refurbish the various components to our stringent OEM standards.”

The company’s infrastructure includes service teams that visit customers’ sites, whether these are commercial farms or smaller privately owned enterprises. These teams are highly experienced in various gearbox systems and applications, so they can inspect existing installations and advise on optimal solutions.

“Large operations can even be supported with formal service level agreements, where the size and efficiency of their operation warrants it,” he says. SEW-EURODRIVE can serve the market’s standardised wheel ratios of 50:1 and 52:1, to accommodate the specifications of the key suppliers of centre pivot irrigation systems.

McKey highlights the build quality of the company’s gearboxes, which underpins their proven reliability in multiple sectors and applications. Indeed, SEW-EURODRIVE only enters a market once its offerings have been decisively field-proven.

According to Strydom, the depth of the company’s technical capability is demonstrated by the fact that it has designed and manufactured interchangeable internal gearing. This allows for commonality of parts, which in turn facilitates efficient stockholding and quick turnaround times.

“One of the benefits of our gearboxes for the centre pivot market is that we use the same internal gearing as our popular and robust 7-series range,” he explains. “The heart of our gearboxes for centre pivot irrigation has therefore proven itself beyond doubt over decades in many arduous applications and industries.”

It also means that SEW-EURODRIVE already has extensive stockholding in its large and modern facility in Aeroton west of Johannesburg, and all the necessary expertise to assess and refurbish gearboxes using these components. The company also has its own quality motors – available in either a 0,55 kW, 0,75 kW or a 1,1 kW option – for these irrigation systems.

While the duty performed by the gearboxes and motors on centre pivot irrigation systems might be considered lighter than certain other applications in more demanding sectors, Strydom emphasises that regular inspection and maintenance remain important.

“This agricultural equipment may need to be moved from one location to another on the farm, for instance,” he says. “In some cases, this process can damage both the gears and motors – so it is vital to check regularly that the performance of the equipment is still optimal.”

The attention of trained service staff from SEW-EURODRIVE can make this process easier and less time consuming for farm managers. The on-site assessment can also confirm whether cost effective repairs are possible, rather than replacing whole gearboxes. Repairing or replacing just the internal gears will allow the casing to be preserved – minimising the wastage and cost.

Another growing concern for farmers is the rising cost of electricity, and SEW-EURODRIVE’s solutions for centre pivot systems also help address this challenge, says Strydom. This is done through the use of energy efficient motors, rated in the IE3 class in terms of international energy standards.

“Most competitors in this field use standard efficiency IE1 class motors,” he explains. “To save our customers on the cost of their electricity, SEW-EURODRIVE standardises on the use of premium efficiency IE3 motors.”

The energy efficiency of motors is, in fact, becoming important for all sectors in South Africa, in the light of government plans to introduce Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) this year. “We are proud to be a full-service OEM in the agricultural space,” concludes McKey. “We are also excited about this and other opportunities in this sector in which we will be closing the loop – by offering an ever-wider range of complete solutions for our customers.”

Companies in various sectors across Africa are wanting to harness the power of modern advancements in drive technology – and SEW-EURODRIVE is there with the solutions and the support.

“Many operations around the continent are still using conventional technology, but are looking for ways to improve efficiencies and productivity,” says Jonathan McKey, National Sales and Marketing Manager  at SEW-EURODRIVE. “They are also wanting to reduce their carbon footprint and energy costs, and we have the solutions for them.”

In fact, the company is driving a concerted strategy to bring these solutions closer to customers – through extending their local in-country presence. Having expanded and upgraded their facility in Aeroton near Johannesburg, SEW-EURODRIVE now boasts entities in Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Kenya. The office in Tanzania has been thriving for ten years already.

“This year, we are setting up additional resources in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Mozambique,” says SEW-EURODRIVE’s Tebogo Moloi, in charge of Business Development in Africa. “Our philosophy is to build local businesses on the strength of local expertise and market knowledge, bringing us closer to customers with enhanced offerings of technology and services.”

With the local representatives being well qualified and experienced in their markets, SEW-EURODRIVE supports them the necessary facilities and stockholding, as well as specialised training. Moloi highlights that site visits from their teams to customers can become both more frequent and more valuable.

“From our in-country bases, we are closer to customer sites and can deliver high value technical support when requested during our visits,” he says. “Regular engagement means that we build our relationships of trust with customers, by seeing their working environment and understanding their needs and challenges.”

McKey explains that SEW-EURODRIVE is actively diversifying its offerings in Africa to meet each market’s specific requirements. Having established a firm base in South Africa over the decades as geared motor specialists, it has grown into after-sales service and industrial gear (IG) units.

“Given the large installed base of geared motors and IG units in Africa, we can now also service and repair competitor products – by leveraging our growing technical capability around the continent,” he says.

As part of its standard and complimentary services around Africa, SEW-EURODRIVE conducts on-site surveys to assess customers’ operational infrastructure, notes McKey. The company can then recommend modernised solutions to enhance efficiency and reliability. “We also conduct energy audits, and advise on our energy efficient solutions to reduce costs and carbon footprints,” he says.

When a mining operation in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province found that one of its planetary gearboxes on a high-torque conveyor was failing, it called SEW-EURODRIVE for a solution.

Leveraging the latest intelligent technology, the solution is a pioneering innovation providing a cost effective replacement that will ensure reliable performance. Greg Lewis, Business Development Manager Projects for SEW-EURODRIVE, says the application at the mine demanded a customised and carefully considered approach. 

“The application itself was in the plant where a steel-belt transfer conveyor moves extremely slowly – with the 4 metre diameter head pulley turning just one revolution every 25 minutes,” says Lewis. “Two planetary gearboxes drive the pulley, with one on each side, and the mine had been facing the pending failure of one of these, which needed to be replaced.”

With the original installer of that gearbox unavailable, the mine came directly to SEW EURODRIVE, he explains. The drive specialist already has a good relationship with the mine, and has provided most of the power transmission items on the site. 

“One of the key challenges was that the mine required only the one gearbox to be replaced at that stage,” Lewis says. “It is important to understand that in this application the two gearboxes must run together, at exactly the same speed and torque. Any variation in the speeds is not an option.”

SEW-EURODRIVE was able to match one of its units very closely with the unit being replaced, but there was still a very slight difference in the ratios. This led to a 0,001 difference in the revolutions per minute. 

“While this may sound insignificant, it makes a difference when the gearbox torque is a couple of hundred thousand Nm’s,” he says. “At this high torque level, any misalignment or desynchronisation can affect the foundation and potentially cause catastrophic failure.”

With the expert input of one of SEW-EURODRIVE’s in-house mechatronics engineers, the solution uses the company’s MOVI-C technology in a way that has never been done before. The new planetary gearbox supplied by the company will match the torque of the original gearbox – ensuring that they turn at precisely the same speed. The solution involves removing the existing base plate and providing a new, drop-in solution with an SEW-EURODRIVE planetary gearbox – designed to match the current infrastructure in the plant.

“The technology on our planetary gearbox constantly changes the torque to match the existing equipment,” he said. To prove this intelligent design, SEW-EURODRIVE built a small-scale working mock-up for the customer to witness. Together with its own customised base-plate, the ‘model’ arrangement was taken to site and demonstrated to the customer’s satisfaction.

The mock-up was so successful that SEW-EURODRIVE colleagues around the world asked to see it, so that they could learn from the achievement. It was also a showpiece at the company’s exhibition stand at the2022 Electra Mining Africa event near Johannesburg. 

Lewis explains that the project was designed and delivered by SEW-EURODRIVE as a complete solution – from the fully customisable panels to the electronics and the installation of the gearbox. The installed unit is an XP planetary gearbox with shrink disk, with a primary X-series gearbox as a further reduction unit to achieve the required ratio. 

“We engineered the steel base to fit onto the existing concrete foundation without any modifications required from the customer’s side,” he says. The significance of the project is enhanced by the considerable scale of its elements. At about 1,7 m in height – and measuring 2,1 m wide and long – the gearbox itself is sizeable, weighing about 6 t. Moving at 0,07 rpm, it moves the steel belt that carries a fine cake of raw chrome material.

“There are not many companies who can produce a solution to meet these very slow revolutions,” Lewis says. “Being among those who can is a source of great pride for us. This project has been particularly rewarding as it demonstrates our capability in matching another footprint, eliminating the need for the customer to break down existing structures and build new ones.”

The unique requirements of the project meant extensive on-site engagement with the customer and detailed measurement of plant requirements. SEW-EURODRIVE’s engineers in Johannesburg generated the working drawings from which global counterparts within the group could begin manufacturing the unit in Germany. 

Lewis highlights the assurance that SEW-EURODRIVE can give the mine in terms of support, as the company has long been an established presence in the sector and the country. The customer was extremely happy with this creative solution that their other plants may well be looking at similar replacements in the coming years. 

“We are already assisting with our full service technicians, and we can provide experts in electronics, mechanical engineering and mechatronics, as the need arises,” he says. “The electronics in this solution will allow the mine to implement a range of enhancements in the future, including safety features and monitoring of operations.”