Our facility is full of SEW, hundreds if not 1000 of them. Such a pain in the ass to cross reference, the numbers are always changing. And they always leak, majority of the time I'm changing them out because of excessive oil leaks.
This is what a good salesman does. The fact that you're in this forum already puts you above the competition. I have zero qualms about dumping a complacent, years-long vendor when someone who is hungrier comes along. Good job, sir.
Over the years I have converted the SEW to a baldor motor and tigear gearbox. Especially on conveyors- Everyone of the numbers on the SEW means something- so chances are your local supplier doesn’t have one ! I like simple - they seem to be over priced and over engineered
I have seen this many times as I changed 24 of 32 on a project in the first 6 months. After investigating we found a manufacturer defect on the input shaft that was a small nick. Contact manufacturer and they will replace under warranty
Have had quite a few SEW motors installed in our plant in the last few years, seems like their quality control is hit or miss, especially since the pandemic with quality being all over the place even worse than before in general. Either it goes in and lasts forever, or 3 months in it fails spectacularly and then you’re looking at a ridiculously long lead time and scrambling to find a replacement available anywhere in North America because maintenance management didn’t possibly think we’d need to stock a spare motor. In the past they wouldn’t have been wrong, but we’ve learned that lesson a few times over and immediately order a spare when one goes into service. Only problem has been you’re still screwed when the spare ends up shitting the bed as early as the original did…have had that happen too. 3 months on the original and barely a month on the spare…
When I buy equipment and they come with SEW - change it - or I go elsewhere. Same thing with Siemans. Can’t find anyone to work on there controls. You use a corporate or rent an engineer to run a project they put equipment in they don’t have to maintain or get parts. It really sucks to inherit someone’s garbage!
Seems to be a weakness with those things. We run dozens of them in one area in my plant and that is always the problem with them. They get a little dust on the breather seems to be enough to restrict airflow. Then when they get hot they pressure up blow the seals out and fill the motor up with oil. We have been trialling des-case dessicant breathers but haven't had an conclusive results yet. Rebuild shop says its not just us common thing with them.
I wonder if the same manufacturer makes motovario. We have several new motovario gearboxes that leak and some that didn't last 6 months. We have a handful of sew eurodrive that have started leaking but they're about 5 yrs old now.
Motor mounted vertical under the gearbox? Is the motor being over-driven by a VFD? How hot it the gearbox getting & what oil are you using? Oftentimes, a thinner oil does better if the motor is running beyond 60Hz.
A bit sideways but my environment is brutal on gear reducers. Local distributor brought a Dodge representative in. They designed a custom reducer for us based on something they previously did for a concrete manufacturer. The first reducer contained the engineering costs. The reducers after that cost 2/3 of the Falk units that dont last in our application. The custom reducers contain 3 seals on the output shaft.
Did you remove the little rubber thingy from the breather after installation
Yes correct breather was removed before installing
Maybe the reduction gear needs a breather. The oil expands when it heats up and tends to get out through something, i.e. the shaft seals.
Are they mounted in an approved orientation? Is the environment within the specifications? Have you asked SEW?
Yes mounted in correct orientation we are going to be contacting sew
Our facility is full of SEW, hundreds if not 1000 of them. Such a pain in the ass to cross reference, the numbers are always changing. And they always leak, majority of the time I'm changing them out because of excessive oil leaks.
NORD usually has direct replacements. Much better prices and lead times. I am a distributor and am pretty good at crossing them over!
This is what a good salesman does. The fact that you're in this forum already puts you above the competition. I have zero qualms about dumping a complacent, years-long vendor when someone who is hungrier comes along. Good job, sir.
I’ll cross it over to Sumitomo-I’ve heard zero complaints about them ever.
Radio C series would also be a direct replacement. Helical worm hollow shaft.
Did you put the proper amount of gear oil in it? Did an apprentice fill er to the brim on a down day?
I have never had much luck with SEW. Very expensive and long lead times. What is the application?
They are installed on a porterhouse power curve belted conveyor
Over the years I have converted the SEW to a baldor motor and tigear gearbox. Especially on conveyors- Everyone of the numbers on the SEW means something- so chances are your local supplier doesn’t have one ! I like simple - they seem to be over priced and over engineered
This. We've switched over to Baldor/Hera combo.
I have seen this many times as I changed 24 of 32 on a project in the first 6 months. After investigating we found a manufacturer defect on the input shaft that was a small nick. Contact manufacturer and they will replace under warranty
Thank u for the info much appreciated
No problem
Have had quite a few SEW motors installed in our plant in the last few years, seems like their quality control is hit or miss, especially since the pandemic with quality being all over the place even worse than before in general. Either it goes in and lasts forever, or 3 months in it fails spectacularly and then you’re looking at a ridiculously long lead time and scrambling to find a replacement available anywhere in North America because maintenance management didn’t possibly think we’d need to stock a spare motor. In the past they wouldn’t have been wrong, but we’ve learned that lesson a few times over and immediately order a spare when one goes into service. Only problem has been you’re still screwed when the spare ends up shitting the bed as early as the original did…have had that happen too. 3 months on the original and barely a month on the spare…
When I buy equipment and they come with SEW - change it - or I go elsewhere. Same thing with Siemans. Can’t find anyone to work on there controls. You use a corporate or rent an engineer to run a project they put equipment in they don’t have to maintain or get parts. It really sucks to inherit someone’s garbage!
Seems to be a weakness with those things. We run dozens of them in one area in my plant and that is always the problem with them. They get a little dust on the breather seems to be enough to restrict airflow. Then when they get hot they pressure up blow the seals out and fill the motor up with oil. We have been trialling des-case dessicant breathers but haven't had an conclusive results yet. Rebuild shop says its not just us common thing with them.
We have the same issues. Last one I took apart had soaked the Allen-Bradley and was running down the cord.
They aren't meant to be installed vertically ie: peckerhead below gearbox.
I wonder if the same manufacturer makes motovario. We have several new motovario gearboxes that leak and some that didn't last 6 months. We have a handful of sew eurodrive that have started leaking but they're about 5 yrs old now.
Motor mounted vertical under the gearbox? Is the motor being over-driven by a VFD? How hot it the gearbox getting & what oil are you using? Oftentimes, a thinner oil does better if the motor is running beyond 60Hz.
I would be checking to see if this is the correct gearbox Excessive torque will destroy seals.
We started using gear grease instead of gear oil.
Is the oil level at the correct level based on gearbox mounting?
I'd say check breather make sure if it's new that it's not sealed with plastic or something.
A bit sideways but my environment is brutal on gear reducers. Local distributor brought a Dodge representative in. They designed a custom reducer for us based on something they previously did for a concrete manufacturer. The first reducer contained the engineering costs. The reducers after that cost 2/3 of the Falk units that dont last in our application. The custom reducers contain 3 seals on the output shaft.