SEW-EURODRIVE’s expanding gearbox repair and refurbishment services
By offering comprehensive gearbox repair and refurbishment services, including reverse-engineered and remanufactured gearboxes for reputable brands, SEW-EURODRIVE is addressing the lack of OEM support in the South African market. MD Raymond Obermeyer takes MCA on a tour of the existing capabilities and highlights what is to come after the 2026 move to the new 17 000 m² service and repair facility.
many local repair shops will try to do. We replace the complete matching set of gears, so they all start in the same condition with the same OEM quality,” he assures. Citing a current repair on the shop floor, he says that, in some cases, SEW-EURODRIVE service engineers can make design changes to gearboxes to improve their reliability. One large gearbox for a mine in Limpopo had experienced
components,” Obermeyer explains. From a dimensional perspective, laser scan- ners enable SEW-EURODRIVE to determine the original surface form and dimensions of any worn part, enabling drawings to be generated. “We currently send these drawings to Germany for use to manufacture new gear sets to OEM specifications,” he says. “We will never try to re - place one or two gear wheels in a set, though, as
“O EMs in South Africa are becoming overfocused on sales. Very few can service their gearboxes anymore. We are getting more and more inquiries, and on our current repair-shop floor, 50% to 60% of the work we are doing is for non-SEW-EURODRIVE gearboxes,” begins Raymond Obermeyer, MD of SEW-EURODRIVE, South Africa. “Many don’t even stock parts,” he continues. “This is why we are expanding our after-sales service offering, not only to offer comprehen- sive support for our SEW-EURODRIVE solu - tions, but also to support the other equipment brands being used on our customers' mines, factories and industrial sites,” he tells MCA . SEW-EURODRIVE has been repairing gear - boxes from its South African assembly facilities for many years. “We are already using reverse engineering techniques to repair and refurbish gearboxes from several OEMs. Our process is now very well established, and we have gathered an excellent team of specialists with considerable combined experience,” he says. The process starts at the wash bay, where client gearboxes, “which tend to be filthy when they arrive”, are cleaned. Non-SEW- EURODRIVE gearboxes are then scanned us - ing one of SEW-EURODRIVE's handheld laser scanners to produce a point cloud mapping of the unit's dimensions. “The gearbox is then carefully stripped, and after shot blasting, every component is scanned to build up a complete picture of the repairs needed. A detailed assess- ment of each component's condition follows, repair needs are identified, and a quotation is prepared for the client to help them decide whether to purchase a new unit or have the existing unit repaired. “If the repair quote is accepted and an order comes in, then we begin the process of getting gears manufactured, sourcing the bearings and replacing or remanufacturing worn or damaged shafts, housings and any other compromised
Laser scanning technology enables SEW-EURODRIVE to accurately map worn components and reverse-engineer complete gearsets to OEM specifications.
SEW-EURODRIVE’s advanced gearbox repair and refurbishment service provides OEM-quality support for both its own units and those from other leading global brands.
26 ¦ MechChem Africa • January-February 2025
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