Sustainability 29. July 2020

Hygienic Design planetary gearbox HLAE from Neugart

With the HLAE, Neugart has developed a hygienic gearbox solution for use in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. As the first and only planetary gearbox, it has fulfilled the strictest international hygienic design standards in accordance with 3-A RPSCQC since its introduction in 2014. American testing institute 3-A Sanitary Standards Inc. (3-A SSI) has now renewed the certification according to schedule.
The audit by 3-A SSI is voluntary, but is regarded as the highest standard on the market. As a rule, all of the other international directives and regulations are therefore covered. The seals of the HLAE are also FDA-certified, and are therefore permitted for use in contact with food. The lubrication is recognized by the American National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) as H1 and is therefore also approved as food compatible.
The HLAE is characterized by having a round design with smooth surfaces, which do not allow dirt deposits and microorganisms to adhere to the gearbox. Electropolished stainless steel 1.4404 with a very high surface quality of Ra < 0.08 µm is used as the material. The flange surfaces of the gearbox are sealed using a special O-ring in such a way that no bacteria can be drawn into the gap by capillary action. Two food-compatible plastics with high hot water and steam resistance are available as sealing material.
The hygiene-compatible HLAE is available in three sizes for ratios ranging from i=3 to i=100 and for nominal torques of 15 Nm to 170 Nm. This provides a high degree of flexibility: it can be attached to B5 and B14 motors in any installation position. A version of the output shaft with a feather key and a smooth version are optionally available. A freely positionable sealing kit provides maximum hygienic protection for different wall thicknesses. It therefore provides maximum flexibility when the gearbox is being attached to the machine.