Modern packaging lines and industrial automation systems are becoming progressively more compact. Machine builders are fitting more processing stations into the same floor area, reducing the space allocated to each drive component and raising the performance bar simultaneously. The compact spiral bevel gearbox from Ever Power addresses this challenge directly: a miniaturised right-angle gear unit delivering the same material quality, precision grade, and efficiency as the full industrial series — in a housing envelope that fits where standard units cannot.
1. What Makes a Spiral Bevel Gearbox “Compact”?
The compact designation refers to reduced housing dimensions achieved by using smaller gear modules while maintaining the same material and manufacturing quality as the industrial series. Gear module is reduced from the typical industrial range (module 4–8) to a compact range (module 1.5–4), which allows smaller pitch circle diameters for a given ratio — directly translating to a smaller housing envelope.
The engineering challenge in compact design is maintaining adequate tooth bending strength and contact fatigue resistance at the reduced module. Ever Power achieves this through the same 20CrMnTi alloy steel with HRC 58–62 surface hardness used in the industrial series — the high hardness compensates for the reduced module by increasing the allowable contact stress per unit of tooth face area.
The result: compact Ever Power spiral bevel gearboxes with shaft diameters from 10 mm to 30 mm, covering continuous torque ranges from 5 N.m to 150 N.m — sufficient for the vast majority of packaging and automation drive applications.
2. Technical Specifications: Compact Series
| Parameter | Compact Series Specification |
|---|---|
| Shaft Diameter Range | 10 mm – 30 mm |
| Continuous Torque Range | 5 N.m – 150 N.m |
| Available Ratios | 1:1, 1.5:1, 2:1, 3:1 |
| Transmission Efficiency | 94% – 96% |
| Noise Level (max) | 60 – 68 dB |
| Standard Backlash | <= 20 Arcmin |
| Low Backlash Option | <= 10 Arcmin (factory option) |
| Gear Material | 20CrMnTi alloy steel, HRC 58–62 |
| Sealing Options | NBR lip seal standard; sealed-for-life bearing option; stainless shaft option |
| Motor Flange Input | IEC B5 / B14 standard; NEMA available |
| Food-Grade Options | Stainless steel shaft; NSF-compliant grease; food-grade coating |
| Certificação | CE, ISO 9001; NSF documentation for food-grade variants |
3. Food-Grade Configuration: Requirements and Options
Food and beverage processing machinery must comply with hygiene regulations that impose specific requirements on every component in or near the product zone. For compact spiral bevel gearboxes in food applications, the critical requirements are:
AISI 316L stainless steel output shaft — corrosion resistant to food acids, cleaning chemicals (CIP/SIP), and salt solutions. Available as standard option on compact series output shafts in direct product contact zones.
NSF H1 registered lubricant — rated for incidental food contact. Available as factory-fill option. NSF registration certificate provided with documentation package for food safety audits.
For clean-room and pharmaceutical applications, sealed deep-groove ball bearings with factory-filled NSF H1 grease eliminate the need for oil bath lubrication — no oil level checks, no oil changes, no contamination risk from routine maintenance.
IP65 sealing on all shaft exits with additional V-ring secondary seal for high-pressure washdown environments. Prevents ingress of cleaning water and sanitising chemicals during CIP/SIP cycles.
4. Packaging Machinery Applications
Compact spiral bevel gearboxes appear across the full range of packaging machinery — from primary packaging of food products to secondary and tertiary case packing systems:
| Packaging Application | Typical Ratio | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Rotary sealing jaw drive | 1:1 | Precise speed synchronisation, compact envelope |
| Label applicator drive | 1:1 or 1.5:1 | Low backlash for label placement accuracy |
| Filling head conveyor | 2:1 | Food-grade lubrication, washdown IP65 |
| Case erector drive | 2:1 or 3:1 | Quiet operation on open production floor |
| Stretch wrapper turntable | 3:1 | Smooth start-stop, motor flange direct mount |
| Conveyor transfer unit | 1:1 or 2:1 | Minimum footprint for between-station installation |
5. Automation and Servo Drive Compatibility
Compact spiral bevel gearboxes are increasingly used in servo-driven automation systems where motor, drive, and gearbox work as an integrated motion system. Key requirements for servo compatibility:
- Low backlash: The factory 10 Arcmin option is achievable through selective gear pair assembly at Ever Power. For tighter applications requiring below 5 Arcmin, contact our engineering team for special-order low-backlash configurations.
- Low moment of inertia: Compact housing and small gear module result in low rotating mass — favourable for servo systems with frequent start-stop and direction reversal.
- Motor flange integration: IEC B5 and B14 flange adapters allow direct servo motor mounting without a separate coupling bracket — reducing overall drive length and eliminating external coupling maintenance.
- Bidirectional operation: Full bidirectional capability with no modification — essential for servo-driven positioning and transport applications with frequent direction reversals.
6. Custom Compact Gearboxes from Ever Power
Ever Power designs and manufactures custom compact spiral bevel gearboxes for OEM packaging and automation customers requiring dimensions, shaft configurations, or material specifications outside the standard range. Custom compact units are available from a minimum order of 1 unit (prototype) with standard production runs from 10 units.
Custom options commonly specified by packaging OEM customers include: non-standard shaft diameters matched to existing couplings, custom housing mounting bolt patterns, stainless steel housing for wash-down zones, and dual-output shaft configurations for driving two adjacent conveyor lanes from one motor.
Customer Cases
Japan — Packaging Equipment OEM
Compact Ever Power spiral bevel gearboxes integrated into a form-fill-seal machine. Compared with Neugart and Apex Dynamics units — same shaft dimension, 40% lower price, CE documentation included. Delivered in 2.5 weeks. Running 18 months in production without servicing required.
“We evaluated three suppliers. Ever Power was the easiest to work with and the most competitive.” — Machine Design Engineer, Tokyo
Sweden — Fish Processing Plant
Stainless output shaft and NSF H1 grease fill option specified for a fish portioning conveyor. NSF certificate included in documentation package — accepted by the plant’s food safety audit team without further testing. Running 14 months at 2-shift, 5 days per week without lubrication servicing.
“The NSF certificate and CE declaration together satisfied all our food safety and machinery compliance requirements.” — Project Engineer, Gothenburg
Singapore — Laboratory Automation
Five compact units with 10 Arcmin low-backlash option installed in a multi-sample automated processing robot. Individual unit backlash test records provided — all units measured between 7 and 9 Arcmin. Consistent performance across the batch was essential for the system’s positioning accuracy.
“Individual test records per unit is something most suppliers won’t provide. Ever Power did without being asked.” — Automation Engineer
FAQ
Packaging or automation engineer looking for a compact right-angle drive?
Ever Power compact spiral bevel gearboxes: same precision as full industrial series, smaller footprint, food-grade options, IEC motor flange. CE certified. Fast delivery.
