NORD Overhead Conveyor Drives: Space-Saving, Reliable Performance for Conveying Systems

Overhead conveyors drives are part of NORD’s modular product system, offering flexible input options, quiet operation, and industry-standard footprints for easy drop-in replacement.

Overhead conveyor drives from NORD DRIVESYSTEMS are engineered with long-lasting performance and durability in mind. They feature high quality components, heavy-duty construction, and an output mounting flange and shaft for easy drop-in replacement of industry-standard footprints. These characteristics make overhead conveyor drives an ideal solution for meat and poultry processing, automotive assembly, and other manufacturing systems where utilization of vertical space is required.


As a standard, each drive is outfitted with a VL3 spread bearing design with oil safe dry cavity that enables high overhung loads and thrust loads to be efficiently absorbed, extending bearing life and reducing maintenance. In addition to the dry cavity, overhead conveyor drives are also equipped with an optimized oil leakage protection system with QUADRILIP seals to further protect the internal gearing. In the event an oil leak develops, oil flowing past the seals is redirected into the dry cavity by the output shaft oil slinger. An oil sight glass comes standard, but an optional oil proximity sensor can also be incorporated to quickly indicate the oil level of the gear unit. At the bottom of the assembly is a large spherical roller protected by a grease-packed double lip shaft seal to protect wear parts and increase overall service life.

NORD's overhead conveyor drives are available in 3 case sizes, delivering output torques up to 75,225 lb-in. and power up to 60 hp. Constant high torque enables the drives to consistently operate a wide range of conveying systems with varying load size and like all NORD gear units, they are constructed with heavy-duty, single-piece UNICASE housings that are precisely machined with internal reinforcements to increase strength and rigidity. Additionally, the right-angle design of these units offers ease of mounting, even in applications with ceiling constraints. The modular design also offers flexibility with multiple input options such as integral motors, NEMA or IEC motor adapters, solid input shafts, and custom motor adapters (servos, hydraulic motors, etc.). NORD's gear cutting technology allows for large ratios per gear stage, giving overhead conveyor drives ratios of 8.10:1 - 4512.24:1 between the 3 housing sizes.

For meat and poultry applications, product reliability and wash-down design are essential for drive systems. Production, processing, and packaging must be faultless while adhering to strict hygiene guidelines to protect consumers. Paired with NORD electric motors, overhead conveyor drives easily meet the performance requirements of these specialized applications and are available in a variety of USDA-compliant surface protection options for easy cleaning and corrosion resistance. These drives are also available with H1 low- and high-temperature food-grade lubricants to stand up to the harsh environments commonly found in food processing applications.

In automotive assembly systems, NORD's overhead conveyors increase efficiency, reduce downtime, and simplify maintenance. The integrated gear motor and brake design eliminates the need for belts and pulleys with numerous connection points that increase friction and lead to energy loss. An optional locking hand release lever is also available to manually release and lock the brake without being connected to the power supply. Thanks to high torque capacity and a wide speed range, the drives easily support the weight of automobiles for smooth, safe transport through production facilities. Additionally, systems with long chain lines carrying significant loads can be driven by multiple drives equipped with an encoder for synchronous operation.

To learn more about NORD's versatile overhead conveyor drives, visit www.nord.com.

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