At the turn of the year 2023-2024, hpl-Neugnadenfelder Maschinenfabrik GmbH set a significant milestone in the modernisation of industrial lines. In close cooperation with the customer, project manager Jürgen Wolters and his team realised the ambitious task of modernising a 55t pinion gearbox with gear shifting for a four-high pre-rolling mill. The aim of the extensive modernisation was to ensure the long-term availability of the rolling stand. This project was of crucial importance, as the rolling mill plays a key role in the customer's value chain.
Technical challenges mastered
With an input power of 1,000 kW, a weight of 55,000 kg, a gearbox output torque of 192 kNm and impressive dimensions of 4,400 mm x 2,400 mm x 2,100 mm, the modernisation of the pinion gearbox was a challenging task. The precise planning and realisation of this project demonstrate the ability of hpl-Neugnadenfelder Maschinenfabrik GmbH to master complex technical challenges.
Precisely to the point
In order not to affect production operations at the customer's plant, the modernisation of the large-sized gearbox was scheduled for the end of 2023. The holidays around Christmas and New Year's Eve were to be used to dismantle the old gearbox and replace it with a new one. The pre-rolling mill was to go back into production with new (gearbox) power at the beginning of the new year 2024. No sooner said than done - the dismantling of the old gearbox began on 16 December 2023 and the new one was safely installed in the production hall with fresh casting on 21 December. The installation of the new gearbox, which was carried out using a mobile crane in limited space, was once again a proof for the technical expertise and flexibility of the hpl assembly team, who strictly adhered to the specified schedule despite the logistical and spatial hurdles. The pinion gear was commissioned right on time at the start of the new year on 2 January 2024 and was fully integrated into the production process on 8 January.
Our strengths in the project
The successful implementation of this project reflects our core competences:
- Short delivery times: Reducing the delivery time prevented potential downtime and proactively responded to signs of wear and tear.
- Efficient retrofitting time: The modernisation was carried out quickly and was optimally timed to meet the customer's requirements so that production downtime could be minimised.
- Role as general contractor: hpl took on the entire responsibility for the process flow, from planning to implementation, and delivered an all-round carefree retrofit package.
- Customer focus: The project was successfully realised taking into account individual customer requirements in terms of execution and time.
The realisation of the project by hpl-Neugnadenfelder Maschinenfabrik GmbH met the expectations of the customer, who particularly appreciated the smooth integration of the new drives with the existing automation system.
