The hydro-bevel planetary gear unit manufactured in Ohorn, which is used to drive ladle turrets, must be able to move a total weight of up to 610 tons. The drive is the largest of a range of transmissions for this application and its drive train is up to 95% hydraulic. In addition to the large mass to be moved, the limited installation space also posed a particular challenge in its development and manufacture.
It all started in 2012 with a convincing presentation of our overall concept for the application of ladle turrets. In addition, the very good cooperation we had with the technicians of our long-standing customer laid the foundation for us to be able to offer this special gear unit series with different sizes as a whole product series, after initially offering a single gear unit.
An emergency system that works
An important element of the hydro bevel planetary gear unit is the friction clutch, which is also used in different sizes depending on the application. Due to system separation through the clutch, this emergency system protects both the gear unit and the turret from being overloaded.
Function of ladle turrets
Ladle turrets are of central importance at the start of a continuous caster machine. They ensure that the ladles can constantly switch between charging and pouring positions. Thus, the unrestricted function of the ladle turret also ensures the long-term operation of the entire continuous caster.