How to Extend The Service Life of a Slewing Drive?

What is Slewing Drive?

The slewing drive device is a device that integrates a rotary deceleration drive system, and it has its own drive system inside. At its core, it is constructed with a slewing ring bearing, which acts both as a drive follower and as a mechanical interface. In its operating mechanism, the drive train is connected to the inner or outer ring of the slewing ring bearing, while the other ring acts as a drive follower and is also the base for the load connection. This design is extremely exquisite, making full use of the characteristics of the full cycle rotation of the slewing ring bearing, effectively integrating the power source, transmission components and bearing structure, and then forming a modular transmission device with rotary motion, deceleration and torsional increase and power drive functions. The typical structure of the rotary drive has the technical advantages of compact layout, high transmission efficiency, convenient installation and maintenance, so it can be widely used in the field of industrial equipment that requires high-torque rotary transmission.

Features of Slewing Drive:

Compact: The integrated drive system and bearing construction eliminate the need for separate support components in traditional drive chains, significantly reducing installation space.

High transmission efficiency: The power is directly transmitted through the inner and outer rings of the bearing, which reduces the energy loss of the intermediate links, and the efficiency can reach more than 85%.

High torque output: Worm gear or planetary gear reduction structure with torque output ranging from 500 N·m to tens of thousands of N·m.

High-precision positioning: Bearing preload design and transmission clearance control technology ensure repeatable positioning accuracy of ±0.05°.

Modular design: Drives, bearings, seals, etc. can be replaced independently, with low maintenance costs.

High reliability: The fully sealed construction has an IP65 protection rating, which is suitable for harsh working conditions such as dust and moisture.

The Principle of Slewing Drive

The slewing drive takes the slewing plate bearing as the core, and realizes the slewing drive through the following steps:

Power Input: The motor drives a worm or gear that transmits rotational motion to the inner or outer ring of the bearing.

Deceleration and increased torque: The worm meshes with the worm gear (or planetary gear) to convert high-speed low torque into low-speed high torque through the reduction ratio.

Rotary transmission: The bearing fixing ring is connected with the frame, and the driven ring is rigidly connected with the load through the flange to directly output the rotary motion.

Circulating support: The rolling elements (balls/rollers) inside the bearing circulate between the inner and outer ring tracks and are affected by axial, radial, and overturning moments.

How to Extend The Service Life of a Slewing Drive?

To extend the service life of the rotary drive device, it can be started from the correct selection, installation and commissioning, use and operation, maintenance and other aspects, and the specific methods are as follows:

Reasonable selection and installation

Correct selection: According to the actual workload, speed, working environment and other conditions, select the appropriate specifications and types of rotary drive devices to ensure that its rated load capacity and performance indicators can meet the work requirements, and avoid shortening the service life due to overload operation caused by improper selection.

Correct installation: Install in strict accordance with the installation instructions to ensure the installation accuracy. For example, the mounting base should be flat and firm, and the installation position of the slewing drive device should be accurate to avoid additional stress and vibration caused by installation errors, which will affect its normal operation and service life.

Operation and Use

Avoid overload operation: Operate in strict accordance with the rated load of the slewing drive device to avoid overload. Overloading will expose gears, bearings and other components to excessive pressure and friction, accelerate wear, and may even lead to component damage.

Smooth operation: When starting and stopping the slewing drive device, it should be as smooth as possible, avoid sudden start and sudden braking, and reduce the impact load. During operation, the speed should also be kept stable, and frequent speed changes and forward and reverse switching should be avoided to reduce the fatigue wear of components.

Regular cleaning: Keep the slewing drive device clean, and regularly clean the dust, oil and debris on the surface. These contaminants can enter the interior of the unit, exacerbate component wear, or affect heat dissipation, causing the unit to become too hot, which in turn can affect its performance and life.

Maintenance & Maintenance

Regular lubrication: Lubricate the rotary drive device regularly according to the specified lubrication cycle and lubricating oil requirements. The right lubricant can effectively reduce the coefficient of friction between components, reduce wear, and also act as a cooling, rust prevention and sealing. When replacing the lubricating oil, make sure that the old oil is drained cleanly and that the oil passages are cleaned to prevent impurities from mixing into the new oil.

Regular inspection: Conduct a comprehensive inspection of the slewing drive device on a regular basis, including the wear and tear of gears, worm gears, worms, bearings and other components, as well as the tightness of the connecting bolts and the sealing performance of the seals. If it is found that the wear of the parts exceeds the specified range, it should be replaced in time to avoid further expansion of the fault. For loose bolts, tighten in time, and replace damaged seals in time to prevent lubricating oil leakage and external impurities from entering the device.

Monitoring the operating status: The operating status of the rotary drive device, such as temperature, vibration, noise and other parameters, can be monitored in real time by installing sensors and other equipment. When there are abnormal changes in these parameters, they can be detected and taken in time to avoid potential failures that lead to damage to the device and prolong its service life.

Slewing Drive Supplier

LTZC is a professional manufacturer of slewing drives, providing high-quality slewing drives with accuracy covering four levels of accuracy: Po, P6, P5 and P4. Executive standard: general bearing GB/T307, slewing drive JB/2300, shipbuilding industry CB/T3669, machinery industry JB/T10471, wind turbine bearing B/T10705. In 2003, it passed the SO9001 quality system certification.