Application Examples: Mechanical Engineering Solutions

Baked Gearbox

By Alex Malamos|2023-04-17T17:42:07-05:00May 9th, 2018|Application Examples|

With Summer’s heat approaching, it’s time to discuss an extreme environment application. High-temperature engineering solutions are required in many industries. A customer recently came to us with an application for operating a painting fixture. The fixture was to hold aircraft parts for the U.S. Air Force. The basic design called for an inline helical speed reducer that would drive, what amounted to, a rotisserie device that would slowly rotate the part so that all surfaces were easily accessible. While it was relatively a straightforward application, there were some critical caveats. The first was a [...]

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A Quick Connection Improves Efficiency

By Alex Malamos|2024-05-10T03:51:39-05:00May 2nd, 2018|Application Examples|

Short-run printing and automated machining require solutions for quick tool changes to achieve customized production efficiently. Two different applications use the same design concept to solve this problem. In the first application, a manufacturer of printing presses was looking for a quick-connect device to speed up cylinder changes. With short-run printing becoming the norm, print cylinder changeover was eating up a lot of production time. In the past, a transfer gear was installed on the cylinder shaft journal. However, because of a gear error, some motion variations were created. The new design was to [...]

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Torsion was the Culprit: Gearbox Problems and Solutions

By Alex Malamos|2024-01-03T01:11:23-06:00April 25th, 2018|Application Examples|

Backlash, torsion, and transmission error are all gearbox problems that can contribute to lost motion in a drive system that includes mechanical components. But this doesn’t mean you should eliminate these components, as the mechanical advantages of their use are significant. They just need to be monitored, analyzed and controlled. A customer came to us with a gearbox problem that looked to include lost motion as one of the symptoms. This customer produced a line of packaging assembly machines, one series of which put tops on containers. Their typical drive design wasn’t working on [...]

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Know When to Fold ‘Em

By Alex Malamos|2021-10-05T16:04:44-05:00April 18th, 2018|Application Examples|

Servo systems aren’t the only solution for precision motion control applications. Other gear products can fit the bill when more traditional drive technology is desired. We recently had a customer inquire into a solution for a motion control problem he had in his production of precision bellows. The design was a continuous process of feeding a substrate that was systematically folded and then cut off into either standard or custom lengths. His problem was that the material length between folds was inconsistent, which affected the proper compression of the bellow. He was presently trying to use [...]

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Outside The Box

By Alex Malamos|2022-03-17T12:14:05-05:00April 11th, 2018|Application Examples|

Have you ever had special gearbox applications where the standard catalog specs just didn’t fulfill the need? Perhaps you had to run too fast or had too much torque, or just not enough space for either? Catalog data is not always relevant. There are a lot of industrial and commercial gearbox applications, and even more in motion control, where comparing catalog performance data just doesn’t provide the correct solution. Why is this? Well, catalog data cannot be calculated for all the potential applications, duty cycles, speed, temperatures, and environments that a particular gearbox may [...]

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Turning the Tables

By Alex Malamos|2022-08-18T17:16:12-05:00April 9th, 2018|Application Examples|

There are many process and manufacturing operations that consist of multiple steps. In many cases, the process is linear like a progressive punch press or an auto assembly line. But just as often it’s circular, like a bottle filling line or a CNC tool holder. For circular applications, the use of rotary tables is often incorporated. In its standard form, a rotary table is a flat round plate mounted on an axial bearing, which is either driven from a central shaft from below or by a pinion driving a bull gear mounted around the [...]

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Food Industry Gearboxes: Solutions for Mixers

By Alex Malamos|2024-02-05T20:50:48-06:00March 21st, 2018|Application Examples, Product Focus|

Mixing and agitating applications can provide some of the most demanding requirements for food industry gearboxes. Not only can speeds and loads vary dramatically, but environmental conditions can be difficult as well. High-quality components, robust designs, and protection options are often necessary. We had a customer provide us with an opportunity for a mixer gearbox application that turned food solids into semi-liquids. Typical products could include spreads, cheese dips, ice cream, and pie filling. The specifications were for two industrial food mixer sizes that included 20 and 50 horsepower capacities operating at a full [...]

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Hybrids Drive Commuters

By Alex Malamos|2021-12-27T19:18:18-06:00March 7th, 2018|Application Examples|

With energy efficiency, a hot topic, designing hybrid power plants for vehicles is growing in popularity and cost-effectiveness. But the gearing necessary requires special consideration. We had a customer recently request a right-angle spiral bevel gear design that was to be incorporated into a hybrid diesel/electrical power package to drive a bus. Much like a train power supply, this hybrid diesel bus engine was to drive a generator that supplied energy to electric motors that powered the vehicle. Designing a gear system to achieve this presented several challenges. The first challenge is that diesel [...]

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Two Screws, One Motor, Zero Problems

By Alex Malamos|2023-10-11T03:05:42-05:00February 26th, 2018|Application Examples|

Linear motion for the positioning of tooling, or driving carriages, is a common requirement in automated machinery. Where dual drives are required, precision gearing is critical for positioning performance. In many applications, a single linear device, such as a ball screw or belt drive, can be driven by a single servo motor, which may or may not include a gearhead to gain additional mechanical advantage. But, for larger or wider loads dual screws are often necessary to provide even or balanced forces. While synchronized master/slave servo motor controls could be used to drive each [...]

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Dual Input Gearbox Provides Dual Output Speed Solution

By Alex Malamos|2023-10-18T19:39:50-05:00February 19th, 2018|Application Examples|

There are a lot of processes that require continuous, smooth running, rotary motion. But sometimes two different speeds are necessary. Inverters or servo gearheads can’t always deal with the differences. In a lot of applications, variable speed can be accomplished with an inverter. By varying the hertz a motor can operate at a relatively wide speed range. However, when running above 60 Hz there is usually a drop off in output torque. And when the hertz drop below 20, in many instances additional cooling is necessary because the fan isn’t turning fast enough. And [...]

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Chicken Breast or Easter Bunnies?

By Alex Malamos|2022-09-06T15:32:54-05:00February 17th, 2018|Application Examples|

While many have visited a fast food restaurant and ordered a chicken sandwich, or that seasonal favorite, the riblet sandwich, they don't look bad, but I don't think anyone really believes they are getting an actual chicken breast or boneless rack of ribs. Or, how about the variety of baked goods formed into unique shapes, and confection products like chocolate bars or ice cream treats produced in specific configurations? To satisfy our quick lifestyle, and our penchant for tasty luxuries, a variety of machinery manufacturers are designing machines to increase the production of these [...]

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To Disclose or Not To Disclose

By Alex Malamos|2022-06-03T17:34:37-05:00January 31st, 2018|Application Examples|

Customers often call saying they need a gearbox but tell us the application is secret. It's understandable that privacy can be a concern. But it's equally important that your supplier really knows what is going on. Many customers feel that they can’t disclose the function or parameters of a new machine design. They are worried that competitors may catch wind of a new development and beat them to the punch before they can get it to market. Unfortunately, it's that secrecy that can actually put the new design at the greatest risk. While torque, [...]

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Why do Replacement Gearboxes fail?

By Alex Malamos|2021-08-20T11:46:02-05:00January 22nd, 2018|Application Examples|

Have you ever replaced a failed gearbox, whether it just wore out after years of faithful service or it crashed and burned as the result of a major jam? Have you ever had said gearbox mysteriously fail again after only a day or a week or a month? Whether you are a user, a distributor who sold it to the user, or an OEM providing service to the user, the situation can be extremely frustrating. Unfortunately the reason for the failure probably wasn’t because of what you were thinking. We don’t get the calls [...]

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Controlling Converging Loads

By Alex Malamos|2021-12-27T18:57:04-06:00January 9th, 2018|Application Examples|

In many material-handling applications, it is necessary to make adjustments in the load support center distances to accommodate loads of different lengths or widths, especially if these loads have to be captured to avoid shifting. These loads can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and encompass a variety of industries. Similar designs concepts are used in tooling storage, automated inventory systems, and in large product handling systems. In this case, the customer’s design concept included two carriage beds supported on rollers and running on a guided track. These carriages had to either [...]

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Roller Drive and Gap Control with Hollow Shaft Gearbox

By Alex Malamos|2022-08-25T18:20:28-05:00January 4th, 2018|Application Examples|

Home improvements, especially kitchen renovations, are hot topics in lifestyle TV shows and magazines. The kitchen is considered to be the focal point of most families' home life. A big decision is the type of countertop to install. There are natural materials, laminates, and solid man-made options. DieQua was called upon to help in the design of a machine to manufacture solid countertop material, one of the more popular choices due to its wear and maintenance characteristics. The design was complex but used a concept that is relevant in a variety of extrusion and [...]

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DieQua Corporation can repair any product we supply in our facility, located in Bloomingdale, a suburb of Chicago. Field repairs unfortunately, are not available. We maintain a large parts inventory and factory trained technicians to assure timely turnaround. Failure analysis services are also available on a limited basis.

Special Designs

DieQua Corporation and our manufacturing partners welcome the opportunity to provide component modifications or complete special designs. We established these capabilities to complement our philosophy of offering the best solution available for your application needs.