In addition to the catalogue portfolio of gearboxes, the Varvel Group offers a high-technology service to satisfy customer’s needs by designing and producing custom gearboxes for specific applications. An example is the special gearbox developed for a customer on the American market who produces automatic machines for indoor entertainment.
The manufacturer asked Varvel to study and develop a unique gearbox solution specially designed to solve the problem of oil leaks, with the inconvenience caused by machine downtime and the high maintenance and part replacement costs incurred with the previous supplier. The gearboxes developed by Varvel, supplied at around 1.200 pieces a year (one for every machine produced by the customer) ensure continuous duty for 12-18 hours, with frequent interruptions of only few minutes. The gearbox has a hybrid structure that combines the characteristics of a worm gear, a parallel shaft gearbox and a bevel helical gearbox. The input stage is similar to that of a worm gearbox which, using a special gear train, drives three output shafts.
The special component is suitable for use with 50 or 60 Hz single phase motors, and clearly demonstrates Varvel’s expertise in customization, thanks to an in-depth knowledge of technologies and understanding of the market’s needs, assisted by the gear-cutting know-how of the companies in the Group. Customization levels offered vary from simple modifications to standard gearboxes to the design of completely new products based on unique technical solutions, tailored to satisfy specific requirements and to solve specific customer’s problems.