Drive, gearbox and digital solutions to be showcased at Hillhead 2024

Attendees will also get to explore WEG's industrial WG50 gearbox line, and its Motion Fleet Management (MFM) platform.

Taking place at Hillhead, a working Derbyshire limestone quarry, the event will be a calendar highlight for quarrying industry professionals. Among the 600 exhibitors present, WEG and Technidrive will demonstrate how bespoke drive systems and robust industrial equipment can address industry-wide challenges.

Designed by Technidrive, WEG's premier distributor, the automatic jaw crusher unblock system has a unique unblocking feature that minimises the disruption caused by jaw crusher blockages. It transforms the starting of the application, an often energy intensive process, and provides benefits for system safety, removing the need for manual intervention.

Technidrive developed the accompanying software, allowing for a special start up function when starting the jaw crusher from full. If the crusher is stopped full, the variable speed drive (VSD) can be remotely activated in an unblock mode, with a very fast ramp time in forward or reverse depending on the position of the crusher.

Attendees will be able to explore video case studies of the system and talk to experts about the design. It combines WEG's W22 premium efficiency IE3 motor, CFW11 inverter with built in soft programmable logic control (PLC) functions and its G-line range alternator in a single WEGmotion Drives package.

"The jaw crusher system ensures optimal performance and reliability, backed by a three-year warranty for the motor and inverter." explained Marek Lukaszczyk, European and Middle East marketing manager at WEG. "By opting for a motor, inverter and alternator in one integrated package, we're able to deliver the perfect synergy of efficiency, reliability, and performance. Engineered with precision, our all-in-one WEGmotion Drives packages simplify installation, reduce maintenance and optimise operations."

Also on display will be WEG's WG50 gearbox offering. The WG50 has cylindrical gears with helical teeth and parallel shafts or orthogonal shafts, available in ratios from 6.30 to 450 and capacities from 22,000 to 178,000 Nm. Featuring precision ground tooth flanks, the WG50 performs well in precision and smooth gear engagement, making it an ideal choice for the demanding requirements of the quarrying industry.

Crafted from alloy steel and heat-treated, its output shafts boast exceptional strength and resistance to wear, ensuring prolonged durability in rugged and dusty quarrying environments. Moreover, with its flexible and modular construction, the WG50 easily adapts to various mounting positions, facilitating seamless integration into existing quarrying systems.

Another highlight at the stand will be a demonstration unit of WEG's MFM platform. MFM serves as a remote monitoring platform for motors, gearboxes, drives and various industrial assets. Through periodic data collection and advanced data processing, the system offers a means to oversee the performance of assets within industrial fleets.

Attendees will also be able to talk to WEG's engineers about its latest motor innovation, the W23 Sync+ line. The W23 Sync+ integrates permanent magnet (PM), ferrite, or neodymium magnets, along with synchronous reluctance (SynRM) motor technologies, to achieve unmatched efficiency at various speeds. The cornerstone of the W23 Sync+ motor's remarkable efficiency is its PMSynRM technology, strategically minimising electrical losses through the adept deployment of magnets.

Finally, Technidrive will exhibit its newly developed high speed drum drive, a compact conveyor drive system for medium to large conveyors. The new product will complement the already highly successful slow speed feeder drive, as seen at Hillhead in 2022. The team has put together a simulation rig showing the contrast between a conventional shaft mounted bevel helical gear unit and the high speed drum drive unit.

The contrast demonstrates the reduction in mass, size, overhung weight and also the need for a heavy duty drive bearing, helping to reduce initial capital costs and also future maintenance. Attendees can see the simulation rig at stand PC58.

Just like the slow moving drum drive, Technidrive has developed the product to have zero exposed oil seals as these are often the primary cause of gear unit failure in arduous applications like recycling, quarrying and mining. The rig will also demonstrate some smart new technology using WEG's W22 IE4 permanent magnet motors, WEG's IP20 CFW900 and IP66 CFW500 VSDs and a human-machine interface (HMI) to show control.

"At Technidrive, we recognise the unique challenges faced by the quarrying industry, where rugged environments demand robust and efficient equipment," said David Strain, technical director at Technidrive. "Our longstanding collaboration with WEG allows us to integrate high quality specialised products for the rock crushing industry into our solutions and address these challenges head-on through bespoke drive systems.

"From our drum drive compact feeder to our jaw crusher unblock system our solutions prioritise durability, efficiency, and safety. Our commitment to advancing quarrying equipment underscores our dedication to supporting industry professionals in achieving their goals efficiently and effectively."