Any kind of shut down due to failed equipment can be extremely costly. No industry knows this better than the oil and gas industry. The industry relies on power transmission products like Falk gear reducers and parts to maintain their operations and prevent any slowdowns.
The Many Uses of Falk Gear Reducers
Every machine needs a mechanism to transmit power from the power source to the machine. That is where gearboxes come in. Gearboxes are compound machines that “transfer power from a prime mover to a load.”
A gear reducer helps modulate the transmission of power to allow for faster and slower speeds, directional change (such as forward and reverse) and increasing torque by reducing the speed. The gearbox will often have multiple gears and can switch between them as the speed increases or decreases.
A familiar example is an automobile’s transmission. A manual transmission requires the operator to shift gears manually as speed increases and decreases, while the automatic transmission chooses the right gear to use without the operator directly choosing a gear.
Let’s take a look at how Falk gear reducers are used in the industry.
1) Clutches and Breaks
Falk gear reducers are commonly used for clutches and breaks in the oil and gas industry. These are found in winches, top drives, cranes and drawworks. Falk gear reducers and parts are specifically engineered to endure the harsh conditions of the operating environments.
By ensuring you have a stock of back up Falk surplus gear reducers you can ensure the steady and smooth operation of any application.
2) Couplings and Drive Shafts
Gear reducers are an important component of any drive shaft and must be maintained in order to properly transmit power and drive the shaft at the appropriate speed. While a coupling does not directly have a gear reducer within it, it forms part of a larger unit and must be inspected alongside the gear reducer.
The oil and gas industry relies on couplings and drive shafts in applications like pump jacks, drawworks, top drives, mud pumps, cranes, winches, and more.
3) Belted Drives
Belted drives are found on both onshore and offshore applications. Some types of belted drives that use Falk gear reducers include V-belt or synchronous drives. These machines are often made to order in order to accommodate the needs of a specific operation. These belted drives are commonly used on pump jacks, progressive cavity pumps, mud pumps, charging pumps, blowers and more.
Common Causes of Gear Reducer Failure
As with any machine, understanding the potential causes of failure is an important part of any maintenance plan. Rotating equipment usually fails due to two primary reasons:
- Improper design or specification
- Failure to maintain the equipment
It is important to work with experts to determine the right Falk surplus gear reducer to use for your operation. Choosing the right reducer means factoring in all the requirements and operating environments that the gear reducer will need to meet. This means doing your research now can save you time and money tomorrow.
Maintenance is the other side of the coin. Eventually the machine will need maintenance, whether that is maintaining oil levels or cleanliness, or replacing worn or damaged parts. Make sure you have a supply of replacement parts on hand so that you can reduce downtime and begin reinstallation as soon as possible.
Falk Gear Reducers for the Oil & Gas Industry
With over 70 years of combined experience in a variety of industries and our large inventory of surplus parts, NW Industrial Sales, LLC can help you find the right Falk Surplus gear reducer for your operation.
Our expert team has you covered from start to finish. Whether you need a new product, hard to find part, or repairs or maintenance, we’re available 24/7. If you are curious about learning more about how NW Industrial Sales, LLC can help your oil and gas operation, contact us today.
