Electrical switching & drive systems & components


Modernising for productivity

Third Quarter 2024 Electrical switching & drive systems & components

Making its debut appearance at NAMPO Cape in Bredasdorp in September 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, the company is now taking its offerings onto the lands with its quality gear units for centre pivots. National sales and marketing manager, Jonathan McKey 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, and also 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 comprising 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 allow the systems to achieve the highest levels of uptime. The company’s extensive national service footprint and decentralised stocking policy mean 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” 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 also ideal for applications in the food and beverages industry.


Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Next-generation oil-free motor systems with active magnetic bearings
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
WEG and SpinDrive are collaborating to integrate SpinDrive’s AMBs and built-in IoT condition monitoring into WEG’s market-leading electric motor offering, creating an oil-free, maintenance-free drive solution.

Read more...
Direct drive with integrated control
Vepac Electronics Electrical switching & drive systems & components
The PSD 40 direct drive is a mechatronic system with integrated control, bus interface and absolute measuring system, with no battery required.

Read more...
AI-powered on-premises analytics for industrial drives
Siemens South Africa Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Siemens is introducing a new on-premises analytics solution for industrial drive systems. The software enables users to evaluate drive data entirely within their own infrastructure and meet stringent data-sovereignty requirements.

Read more...
Hydrostatic machine base for ultra-precision grinding centre
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Hyprostatik Schönfeld has developed a high-precision hydrostatic machine base for a new ultra-precision grinding centre for Optotech. The machine platform enables a previously unattainable combination of dimensional accuracy, dynamics and surface quality in the ultra-precision grinding of optical surfaces.

Read more...
Innovative drive system for smart logistics
Horne Technologies Electrical switching & drive systems & components
With its new DualGear, Faulhaber presents a high-performance drive system with high dynamics, robustness and precision in a compact, diameter-compliant design.

Read more...
Proportionate specification for hazardous locations
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
As automation spreads deeper into processing, handling and transport operations, motors are increasingly required to operate in spaces that sit on the edge of hazardous zones.

Read more...
Redefining compact motorsport driving simulators
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Leading driver-in-the-loop simulator manufacturer, Ansible Motion has introduced the Delta T1 Sport, the first in a new class of motorsport simulators that offers high-fidelity dynamics, ultra-low latency and a fully immersive experience, all within a compact footprint and accessible price point.

Read more...
The shopping cart that knows the way
Horne Technologies Electrical switching & drive systems & components
How can visually impaired and blind people shop independently in a supermarket? VIRAS supplies the answer: an autonomous shopping cart developed at the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences.

Read more...
Loadcells for maximising conveyor belt performance
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Loadtech’s ViewIT loadcell platform can transform the way operations monitor, manage and maximise conveyor belt performance.

Read more...
Rapid headframe replacement for Canada’s biggest potash mine
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Mammoet has supported Ledcor with the construction of BHP’s new Jansen potash mine.

Read more...









While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved