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Don’t you agree that silence is something wonderful? In many industrial applications, low noise is decisive for the daily operation. And where convenience meets performance, the low-noise planetary gears from IMS Gear are a natural part of the solution.
The low-noise planetary gears from IMS Gear are used in different appliances, in building engineering and smart home, with e-bikes, AGVs and further drive solutions in intralogistics such as steering systems and many other applications all over the world. And soon in yours as well?
Sound, tone, noise - Sounds complicated?
What exactly are low-noise gears?
Low-noise gears from IMS Gear are planetary gears that are characterized by their smooth and low-noise operation achieved by an acoustically optimized gearing. This results in a sound that leaves a pleasant, haromonious impression. Thus, low-noise gears are particularly suitable for applications in which a very smooth running of the gear together with an accordingly low noise development is essential.
What distinguishes low-noise gears from “normal” planetary gears?
Compared to normal planetary gears, low-noise gears feature an acoustically optimized gearing. Both the toothing form and the materials used are adapted accordingly to achieve a high-quality noise image. Likewise, both the housing materials used and the housing design are noise-optimized.
Since when and why have low-noise gears been in place?
Low-noise planetary gears have been on the market for more than 10 years. Starting with the untypical field of fork-lift truck steerings, low-noise gears have become indispensable in many areas. With our low-noise gears we from IMS Gear have developed great expertise, thus ranking among the most important manufacturers of low-noise planetary gears.
Low-noise gears are used in areas in which customers draw a connection between the product quality and the impression of high-quality sound or in which the environment and application require a low noise contribution of the gear. You can find examples in numerous success stories with convincing low-noise planetary gears from IMS Gear.
What is the technological challenge to reduce the noise of a gear?
The acoustic optimization of a gearing often conflicts with the design that is focussed on the service life and power density of a gear. In simple terms, an improved acoustic behavior is often accompanied by a shorter service life and load bearing capacity. Often, the major technological challenge consists in solving this contracdiction for the respective application. In doing so, we from IMS Gear rely on many years of experience and thoroughtechnological expertise with respect to the development and manufacturing of low-noise planetary gears.
Are there differnent degrees of “low-noise”?
The sound pressure level and the sound power have been established as objective noise indicators. In particular the sound pressure level, a value measured in decibel (dB), is used as the indicator for noise. 0 dB are equivalent to the human hearing threshold, 40 dB to a pleasant, quiet surrounding, appr. 100 dB to a plane taking off, and 140 dB to the pain threshold.
Beyond this, the subjectively perceived noise impression of a planetary gear depends on its sound distribution across the frequency and its temporal regularity. In this way, noises that strongly vary in terms of time are perceived as low-quality or unpleasant. This may ultimately evoke the impression that the planetary gear is defective. In contrast, constant noise in combination with low frequencies is perceived as high-quality.
What kind of technological competence with respect to the development of low-noise gears has IMS Gear got?
Based on its decades of experience, IMS Gear has gained profound knowledge and all technological competences required to design low-noise planetary gears and distribute them around the world. From the theoretical toothing design of which the acoustic behavior is evaluated at an early stage by means of simulation to the low-noise design of all components and the production and acoustic final check of our products.
To give an example, IMS Gear has developed special simulation models and processes. These allow to virtually assess the toothing noise at an early stage of development. Once the first components are produced, we can objectively determine the first noise impression by our acoustic measurement systems in the acoustic chamber, compare it to the simulation results and deduct potentials for optimization. In production, we apply self-developed test stations to objectively measure and assess the noise of each of our low-noise planetary gears before they are dispatched.<o:p></o:p>
Which applications and industries require low-noise gears?
The applications for low-noise gears are manifold. Our low-noise planetary gears are often used in areas in which the customer draws a connection between the product quality and the impression of high-quality sound or in which the environment and application require a low-noise contribution of the gear. Examples are drives for:
- E-bikes
- Tailgate drives of vehicles
- Blind and shutter drives
- Locks and gates
- Various kinds of appliances
- Gears for fork-lift truck steerings
Are all planetary gears from IMS Gear also available as low-noise variants?
Almost all planetary gears from our three product lines IMS.Eco, IMS.Pro, and IMS.Drive are also available as low-noise variants. They feature a helical gearing in the first stage. Only our planetary gears with larger outer diameters (e.g. our IMS.120 Pro) are not available as low-noise gears.
An application-oriented special case is our IMS.Drive series: In order to meet the special requirements in the area of wheel drives, our IMS.Drive gears are by default designed as low-noise planetary gears.
Please check our overview of planetary gears for detailed information if a desired product is also available as a low-noise variant or configure your suitable product in our Solution Finder. if you have any further questions, our technical sales department will be happy to assist.
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Planetary Gears for cabinet systems
Barrier & Access SystemsJust walk in? Safety first!
Would you allow everyone to just walk into your living room? No? Nor would we! Especially for companies and public institutions, high-performance access and barrier systems are of utmost importance to consistently ensure safety and control. We from IMS Gear have the appropriate planetary gears.
- Compact desing
- High power density
- Long service life
Open. Close. Open. Close.
Especially in peak times, access systems need to be quick, low-noise and reliable. Eltrex Motion B.V. Together with Bühler Motor GmbH and for the manufacturer Royal Boon Edam B.V., Eltrex Motion B.V. (The Netherlands) has developed a drive solution for worldwide use in powerful sensor barriers. The integrated sophisticated 3-stage planetary gear is from IMS Gear. Boon Edam is one of the leading companies worldwide for the setup of future-oriented mobility hotspots to control large crowds of people that are increasingly common at airports, stations, hotels, clinics or administrative and office buildings.
“What characterizes a successful access system? It has to be slim, show harmonious proportions and take up little floor space. The focus is on the sensor barriers: In particularly in peak times, they need to be quick, silent, and reliable. Low Noise planetary gears from IMS Gear provide the perfect solution.”
Slim, Low-Noise and yet Quite Powerful
Up to 30 moves per minute. Year after year. And all this in perfect shape: “An access system that aims to be successful in the market needs to be slim, have elegant proportions and take up little floor space, e.g. to adapt into modern foyers”, IMS Sales Engineer Andreas Sigwart summarizes the essential challenges. The slimmer the solution, the more systems can be installed in a given space - and accordingly scale up the capacity. Low noise is another important criterion. And the noise that is unavoidable must not be perceived as unpleasant. Translated into the technical requirement this means: Transmit high torque in smallest installation space, run smoothly, control high radial load.
Modularity as Trump Card
“The modular system from IMS Gear has proved itself all round in this project”, Andreas Sigwart states. The schedule was tight as the customer was looking for a gear specialist that could implement the requested solution within months. “Our long-time partner Bühler Motor gave us the hint that IMS Gear would be a competent partner”, reports Eric Peeters, Key Account Manager at Eltrex. And the hint proved a hit. “The modular system allowed to test the complete mechatronic system with motor, gear drive, brake and control promptly, repeatedly and with different gear reductions and configurations. No other company could offer that”, Peeters confirms. “You can calculate a lot, but only tests are really meaningful; you just have to try things out”, Sigwart adds. The customer was highly satisfied: Especially the short response times convinced the Dutch group of companies, because they save time to synchronize the remaining system components and still allow to realize a short time-to-market.
Power in Motion
A strong solution was sought-after: After all, in the single door version of the system a heavy safety glass panel needs to be moved. In this case, motion means: Accelerate quickly, brake sharply - with minimum noise emission. In the face of high load requirements, the IMS Gear engineers selected the biggest planetary gear possible for the installation space available, in this case with a diameter of 72 millimetres. The first stage that reduces the major share of the electric motor’s high rotational speed consists of plastic planetary gears - for the effective reduction of noise emissions while opening and closing.
Hybrid Material Combination - the Best from 2 Worlds
IMS Gear has many years of experience with selecting the suitable plastic and the adequate gearing for the material. In this case, a helical gearing ensures low-noise operation and smooth bidirectionality for the steady switch from open to close and open again. The second and third stage - spur geared and in metal only - feature lower rotational speeds of the planetary gears and thus in general less noise, but in the third stage the full torque. Due to the hybrid material combination two competing objectives - low noise and the transmission of high torques - can be combined in one gear drive. In face of the rapid switching of the passage and the high requirements to convenience the bearing must be backlash-free. This challenge also entailed comprehensive tests of various bearing types that resulted in the decision to use two ball bearings. The high variability of the IMS Gear solutions from the modular kit at the output side allows the customer to attach an extra-long flange to achieve the maximum possible distance between the ball bearings. In this way, the radial forces of the glass door can be absorbed even in the heaviest model without applying any load to the gear drive/motor unit.
Quick Derivation
“The modular approach of IMS Gear has helped us across all project stages to meet the many different requirements of the complex mechatronic overall system, because modified designs have always been quickly available”, Peeters points out an important advantage. And that’s not all: The ability of IMS Gear to generate derivates from the modular system can be implemented here in many ways. Thus, depending on the concrete application, the drive solution is available in different gear reductions, and for models with a lighter glass door, e.g. the “Speedlane” from Boon Edam, also with a smaller gear drive with a diameter of 62 millimetres. What exactly is the modular system about? Shorter time-to-market and economic benefits, because solutions can be adapted to the actual requirements. Only IMS Gear can do that! The end customer applies the resulting solution in various ways. The number of airport users or visitors to company headquarters and administrative buildings is increasing steadily so that security staff is finding it ever more difficult to determine who is allowed to enter a certain building tract and who isn’t. Versatile security gates helping to make sure that only authorized visitors gain access to the protected areas of a building while simultaneously allowing a high throughput of visitors are therefore important installations - in particular against the background of increasing safety requirements. Access systems with IMS Gear technology are already being used in bank and office buildings as well as in public institutions. “The products from IMS Gear are robust, reliable and low noise. The last point is particularly important as it goes well with the high-quality touch & feel of the Boon Edam products”, a spokeswoman of Boon Edam said.
Conclusion
Sensor gates are real endurance runners. Like the planetary gears from IMS Gear. With this application, the advantages of the modular system come into effect in many ways:
- quick and reliable assessment of the technological feasibility
- short-term availability of modified samples in the development and coordination process
- implementation of proven materials and gearings
- clear paths to derivations
Your are looking for a custom-fit solution for your application in the area of Logistics? Then let’s talk about it: As an experienced development partner, we at IMS Gear are always excited to develop new solutions for the world of tomorrow.
