Main drive of a mechanical press: planetary or parallel?
Comparing two layouts for a high-torque eccentric press drive, then detailing the chosen one down to microgeometry.
- Industry
- Industrial machinery
- Year
- 2025
- Sheet
- 3 / 7
- Client
- Press manufacturer
- Duration
- 2 phases, about 6 weeks
- Tools
- KISSsys, KISSsoft
- Standards
- ISO 6336:2019
A: two-stage parallel-shaft drive. B: planetary stage with the ring gear in the machine frameSchematic, not to scale
The question
The press needed a reduction of about 1:15 to 1:20 at an output torque near 900 kNm and slow output speed, so that the flywheel, clutch and brake upstream could be smaller and cheaper. Two layouts were on the table: a classic two-stage parallel-shaft drive and a planetary stage whose ring gear sits directly in the machine frame.
What the customer received
- Comparison of the two layouts, two weeks after the order
- Detailed rating including microgeometry
- Gear drawings (DXF), 3D models (STEP) and calculation reports
Services: Gearbox design, Gear and transmission calculation
What we did
- Built KISSsys models of both layouts, with kinematics and a load spectrum defined with the customer.
- Rated both to ISO 6336:2019 so the customer could choose the configuration.
- Detailed the chosen layout: shafts and bearings with clearances, tolerances and stiffness.
- Ran loaded tooth contact analysis and optimised the microgeometry for contact pattern and peak-to-peak transmission error.
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