News –

NORD Supports Bulk Material Handling with New Solutions

Safe, reliable, and efficient drive systems from NORD are ideal for bulk material handling systems that need to perform in demanding environments.

Waunakee, WI, 2021-08-16

NORD is one of the world’s leading drive technology manufacturers, providing highly-customizable solutions for many sectors of the bulk goods industry. Their gear units are designed to transport material quickly and efficiently through every stage of processing, including storage, conveying, weighing, metering, loading, and unloading. Regardless of the application, all NORD solutions focus on three core areas; energy efficiency, reliability, and safety to keep plant operations running smoothly.

<h2>Comprehensive Solutions for Efficient Material Handling</h2>

Belt conveyors are the backbone of bulk material handling systems in most processing plants and NORD drives guide every process starting when the material is received. Their solutions provide flexibility for conveyors with a wide product range, multiple mounting and shaft designs, extensive input options, environmental protection options, surface protection options, and more. NORD has over 20,000,000 standard drive configurations to meet specialized needs and ensure uninterrupted material flow.

Between each processing step, bulk goods are typically metered and weighed to ensure the correct amount of material is added for the next process. NORD drives can be controlled individually and intelligently to adjust mass flow for precise, dynamic infeed control. They also work exceptionally well for intermediate storage and homogenization in storage compound systems (longitudinal or rotary blending beds) or silos/bunkers before they are conveyed to the next processing step.

NORD understands that bulk goods have many special characteristics which require different plant arrangements to process and package them. For this reason, NORD allows customers to work directly with technical experts to guide them through the selection process and choose the drive that best meets their needs. Additionally, NORD’s full-featured drive solutions are based on a modular system consisting of variable frequency drives, motors, gear units, couplings, and brakes that can be configured to work together in perfect unison. Each gear box is selected to integrate into the specific system requirements provided by the customer.

Demanding ambient conditions are also common in the bulk goods industry. This includes extreme temperature fluctuations, abrasive environments, and rough operating conditions. The reliability and cost-effectiveness of NORD solutions can tackle these challenges and have proven themselves in the bulk goods industry throughout the world.

NORD’s primary products for Bulk Material Handling include:

MAXXDRIVE® Industrial Gear Units – MAXXDRIVE® Industrial Gear Units are used wherever high torques are required. These units have high power density and torques of up to 2,495,900 lb-in, a rugged one-piece UNICASE™ housing, and high axial and radial load capacities. MAXXDRIVE units are available as parallel shaft, helical bevel, or right-angle units and are ideal for the harsh conditions that bulk material handling conveyors operate in. MAXXDRIVE units are also built for long service life, offer several mounting positions, and cater to the needs of various installation requirements. All bearings and sealing surfaces are machined in single process which eliminates separating joints in the housing, allowing for reduced spare parts costs and reduced downtime.

Also available with our MAXXDRIVE^® units is the Endurance Package. This package combines several additional protective measures that further ensure long life for the units. Features include a drying agent filter, oil inspection glass, oil sample point, quick fit filter trolley connection, and an oil drain cock.

<h2>Power and Versatility: Features of NORD's Helical Bevel Units</h2>

UNICASE Bevel Gear Units – NORD helical bevels are made of a UNICASE cast-iron housing which offers unmatched reliability. These units range from 0.16 – 200 HP, provide up to 442,500 lb-in of torque, and ensure long service life and low maintenance. Helical bevel units can be foot, flange, or shaft mounted with hollow, solid shaft, and keyless bore options. Keyless shaft designs are available with both Shrink Disc and the GRIPMAXX™ Keyless Bushing System. NORD bevel units also offer an integrated backstop option to ensure that material only flows in one direction. With 11 available case sizes, NORD’s helical bevel units are flexible enough to meet your application needs.

<h2>Versatile Mounting and Shaft Options: NORD's CLINCHER™ Gear Units</h2>

NORD CLINCHER™ Parallel Shaft Gear Units – NORD’s CLINCHER units provide ultimate efficiency and economy for bulk material handling systems. These UNICASE units are available with cast-iron or aluminum housings and guarantee long life cycles, quiet running and low maintenance. Ranging from 0.16 – 200 HP with torques of up to 680,000 lb-in, CLINCHERs provide high power density in a compact design. They can be foot, flange, or shaft mounted, have hollow or solid shaft options, and are compatible with Shrink Disc and GRIPMAXX keyless shaft designs. With 15 different sizes, CLINCHERs are a perfect option for a variety of bulk goods applications.

GRIPMAXX™ – GRIPMAXX offers many benefits for the bulk material handling industry. It eliminates the typical assembly and disassembly challenges of using interference fits by providing generous clearances to ensure easy installation and removal of the gearbox. The keyless design also eliminates key/keyway failures and fretting corrosion. The GRIPMAXX system also allows reduction of variants while still providing a wide range of bore sizes.

Screw Conveyor Package – The NORD Screw Conveyor Package (SCP) is available with both bevel and CLINCHER gear units and offers a compact, cost-effective alternative to traditional screw conveyor drives. Closely stepped speed reduction ratios combined with a directly coupled gearmotor or NEMA C-face input design eliminates the need for top motor mounts, pulleys, belts, or guards. Based on NORD’s UNICASE design, all speed reducer housings are constructed of rigid, one-piece cast iron that resists deflection under the heaviest loading conditions. All bearings and seal seats are contained within the single casting, eliminating splits or bolt-on carriers that can weaken the housing or allow oil leakage. This minimizes parts inventory and eliminates belted input systems for easier system maintenance, increased reliability, and superior drive performance.

NORDAC® FLEX Variable Frequency Drive (SK 200E) – The NORDAC® FLEX is NORD’s most flexible VFD. With fully scalable functions, it can be easily configured to any application. Installation and maintenance of the NORDAC FLEX is incredibly fast and easy due to its wide range of functions and easy parameter transfer via EEPROM memory. The VFD ranges from 0.33 – 30 HP and can be wall or motor mounted. Available in protection class IP55 or IP66, the NORDAC FLEX is engineered to perform at the highest level.

To learn more about these products and the rest of NORD’s drive solutions for this industry, see our Bulk Material Handling solutions.