ATEK’s innovative solution for the highest hygiene requirements in drive technology.
What are the main advantages of an open planetary gear with an easy-to-clean surface for my production?
The main advantages are a significant reduction in cleaning effort and the associated downtime, a minimized contamination risk, which is particularly important in hygiene-sensitive industries, and an increased plant availability. In addition, the choice of materials ensures resistance to aggressive cleaning agents.
What materials are typically used for these hygienic planetary gears?
For open planetary gears with an easy-to-clean surface, primarily corrosion-resistant stainless steel (e.g. 1.4404) is used for the housing and other components. Additionally, special FDA-compliant plastics and sealing materials are used, which are chemical- and temperature-resistant .
How does the design of these gears facilitate cleaning?
The design is characterized by smooth surfaces, rounded edges and the avoidance of gaps, dead spaces, and dirt traps . This prevents adhesion and facilitates the drainage of cleaning fluids. A maximum accessibility to all relevant areas is also a central design goal.
Do open planetary gears with easy-to-clean surfaces require special lubricants?
Yes, for applications in the food or pharmaceutical industries, the use of food-safe lubricants (NSF H1 registered) is essential. These are safe in case of accidental product contact and are often designed to be easily washable, leaving no residues, which further supports cleanability.
In which industries is the use of these gears particularly advantageous?
These gears are ideal for industries with high hygiene requirements, such as the food and beverage industry (e.g. in mixers, filling and packaging systems), the pharmaceutical industry, the medical technology as well as certain areas of the packaging and cosmetics industry..
Can ATEK Drive Solutions customize such gears to specific requirements?
Yes, ATEK Drive Solutions specializes in developing custom drive solutions. This also includes open planetary gears with easy-to-clean surfaces that can be tailored precisely to the individual application conditions and cleaning regimes of our customers.
How resistant are these gears to intensive cleaning processes like CIP or high-pressure cleaning?
By using high-quality stainless steel and suitable sealing systems (e.g. labyrinth seals), these gears are very resistant. Many versions, especially stainless steel gears from ATEK, can achieve protection classes up to IP69K and thus withstand intensive high-pressure and steam jet cleaning.
What contribution do these gears make to reducing operating costs?
By shortening cleaning times , labor costs are saved, and plant downtime is reduced. The minimized contamination risk prevents costly production failures or recalls. The durability of the materials and the optimized maintenance also contribute to lower overall operating costs.
Open planetary gears with easy-to-clean surfaces are characterized by specific design features such as smooth surfaces and rounded edges as well as corrosion-resistant materials (e.g. stainless steel 1.4404). This can reduce cleaning times by up to 20% and increase plant efficiency.
The use of food-safe NSF H1 lubricants is crucial for hygienic operation and can significantly reduce the contamination risk, for example, by 15% in hygiene-sensitive applications. This contributes to product safety and the longevity of the gear.
These specialized gears offer significant advantages in hygiene-sensitive industries such as the food and pharmaceutical industries by extending the cleaning intervals by up to 25% and thus increasing the plant availability.. ATEK Drive Solutions also offers custom adjustments for optimal solutions.Discover how ATEK Drive Solutions sets new standards in hygiene and efficiency with an open planetary gear. Ideal for sensitive applications!
In industries with the strictest hygiene regulations, every detail is crucial. ATEK Drive Solutions presents the solution: an open planetary gear with an easy-to-clean surface. Are you looking for a customized drive solution? Contact us now Contact us!
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Open planetary gear with cleanability
In industries such as food processing or pharmaceuticals, the cleanliness of drive technology is a central requirement. A solution from ATEK Drive Solutions aims to minimize cleaning effort and increase production safety. The open planetary gear with an easy-to-clean surface is designed to optimize processes.Open planetary gears: Basics and crucial design aspects.
Planetary gears are suitable for hygiene-sensitive areas due to their combination of high power density and compact design, consisting of a sun gear, planet gears, and a ring gear. For applications in the food industry, where plants are often cleaned (often over 1,000 times a year), special designs are required, such as a planetary gear with optimized cleanability.. Maximum accessibility and minimal dirt traps are central design goals. A beverage manufacturer was able to reduce its cleaning times by 20%, for example.
- High power density and compact design as core advantages.
- Classic components: sun gear, planet gears, and ring gear.
- Necessity for special designs for frequent cleaning cycles, especially in the food industry.
- Central design goal: Maximum accessibility for thorough cleaning.
- Central design goal: Minimization of dirt traps and hard-to-reach areas.
- Importance of smooth surfaces and rounded edges to improve cleanability.
- Decisive role of careful material selection early in the development phase.
Cleanability, a core aspect of an open planetary gear with an easy-to-clean surface, is achieved through smooth surfaces and the avoidance of hard-to-reach edges. Rounded corners and a design that prevents liquid accumulation are design features. A careful material selection in the early phase of development is crucial for later success. Thus, they meet Hygienic Design gears, especially those gear systems with an easy-to-clean surface, high demands and minimize maintenance effort, such as unnecessary disassemblies.Material choice and construction: Key to cleanability.
For resistance to aggressive cleaning agents and frequent disinfection cycles, as encountered in an open planetary gear with an easy-to-clean surface , corrosion-resistant stainless steel (e.g. alloy 1.4404) and special FDA-compliant plastics are used. These materials resist chemicals and high temperatures. The combination of materials ensures durability and hygienic safety. An application example is dairies, where the gears are exposed to daily CIP processes with alkaline cleaners.
The construction avoids gaps and cavities to prevent deposits of product residues or microorganisms. Advanced sealing concepts, such as labyrinth seals, minimize the ingress of dirt while allowing for effective cleaning. The design of the open planetary gear with an easy-to-clean surface aims for high cleanliness standards. Such an easy-to-clean gear system is therefore ideal for demanding environments. For extreme conditions, our stainless steel gears are available with protection classes up to IP69K that withstand high-pressure cleaning.Optimized operation: lubrication, maintenance, and application examples.
Food-safe NSF H1 lubricants support hygiene, especially in a open planetary gear with an easy-to-clean surface, as they are safe in case of accidental product contact and often easily washable. Proper lubrication extends the service life and maintains the performance of the gear. A bakery operation reduced the contamination risk by 15% through the use of gear solutions with special food-compliant lubricants..
- Use of food-safe NSF H1 lubricants to support hygiene.
- Safety of NSF H1 lubricants in case of accidental product contact.
- Extension of service life and maintenance of performance through proper lubrication.
- Suitability for hygiene-sensitive areas such as food processing (e.g. mixers, packaging systems) and pharmaceuticals.
- Possibility of developing customized special solutions for niche applications.
- Reduction of contamination risk and extension of cleaning intervals through optimized gear solutions.
These gears, particularly the open planetary gear with an easy-to-clean surface, are suitable for food processing (e.g. in mixers, packaging systems) and the pharmaceutical industry, where contamination-free production environments are required. The development of customized special solutions enables use even in niche applications. A confectionery manufacturer, for example, was able to extend the cleaning intervals by 25% through these gears, thus increasing plant availability.
Ein open planetary gear with optimized cleanability is an important component for hygiene-sensitive applications. The design for accessibility and protection, such as that of a planetary gear with an easy-to-clean surface. provides, contributes to efficiency and hygiene safety. Expert consultations are available for specific requirements for drive solutions.
