From production to processing, agricultural products such as wheat, barley, rye, oats, corn, and rice pass through many stations. Specialized processes such as harvesting, storage, conveying, cleaning, drying, sorting, and transshipment, combined with sophisticated logistics, ensure that seasonal products arrive in perfect condition at the mill, malting plant, or other processing facilities.
Discharging, Loading, and Discharge with Screw Conveyors
After harvesting from the field, the grain is temporarily stored in silos. A screw conveyor can be used to transport the grain into the silo. To drive the worm, we offer a wide selection of spur, helical, and bevel gearboxes combined with the latest energy-efficient motors.
In addition, drive packages for bucket elevators, screw conveyors, discharge screws, chain conveyors, pipe conveyors, belt conveyors, rotary valves, and vacuum pumps are used in this sector.
Collecting and Storage with Bucket Elevators
Bucket elevators are used for the vertical transport of bulk material into silos. Depending on the machine width, bucket capacity, and height of the conveyor line, these require high drive power. Here, you can choose from our bevel gear or bevel spur gear drives with DRN motors, for example.
In addition to this application, we also offer drive packages for screw conveyors, chain conveyors, pipe conveyors, belt conveyors, and more in the collection and storage sector.
Discharge, loading, and unloading with a vacuum pump
When discharging and transporting bulk material by truck or rail, a vacuum pump is used to extract it from the silo.
For vacuum conveying, the majority of conveying tasks fall within the range of 10 to 6,000 kg/h, with conveyor lines of up to 80 m and conveying heights of up to 30 m—often significantly less.
Among other options, our helical gearboxes with DRN motors can be used here.
However, for discharge, loading, and unloading, other drive packages are also used—for example, for bucket elevators, screw conveyors, discharge screws, chain conveyors, pipe conveyors, belt conveyors, and rotary valves. Our wide selection of drive technology is available to you for these applications.
Cleaning and Sorting with a Rotary Valve
An important step in agricultural logistics is the cleaning and sorting process. Here, foreign particles are separated and the bulk material is cleaned.
Rotary valves are used to relieve pressure on the material in the silo and to unload subsequent discharge equipment, such as conveyors.
They are also used for the volumetrically metered supply of bulk material in mixing and processing operations.
For combustible bulk materials, the rotary valve can be used as a backfire protection device to reliably prevent, for example, a backfire from a biomass boiler into the pellet storage area.
Drying with a fan
To ensure the quality of grain over the long term—from storage through to further processing—it must not only be cleaned and sorted but also dried properly. This is achieved using stationary or mobile drying systems. SEW offers energy-saving motors from the DRN series in various sizes for this purpose.
We also offer drive packages for fans, fan motors for continuous-flow dryers, and complete systems.
Storage, port handling, and final processing using belt conveyors
At the export port, bulk material is temporarily stored in silos until it is transported further by ship.
The bulk material is discharged onto cargo ships using belt or chain conveyors.
This is where, for example, our parallel-shaft helical gearmotors or bevel gearmotors come into play.
Storage, port handling, and final processing with crane systems
Once it arrives at the import port, the grain is discharged and transported further.
For example, crane systems are used when transporting bulk material in so-called “big bags.”
Depending on the power rating and application for other types of bulk material, we offer our high-performance X-Series industrial gearboxes.
The Agricultural Industry in Motion
Nature continues to determine the pace in agriculture—and thus in the entire agricultural industry—even though logistics in the agricultural industryhasnowbecomea globally networked process. Raw materials such as grain are collected regionally after harvest, stored, processed, and sorted and packaged for further processing. For example, rice or grain then begins its journey by truck or ship to mills to be ground into flour. From there, it is shipped to food manufacturers around the world. This process never stops, since it is always harvest season somewhere in the world.
That is why the technology—and in particular the drive technology—must beready for operation at all times, designed for high loads, sudden extreme strains, and challenging environments. Failures can quickly cost a lot of money and pose a hazard to product quality.
Anyone who wants to be successful in this environment over the long term must consistently rely on first-class, robust, and reliable drive technology. That is the world of SEW-EURODRIVE. Our drives are marathon runners, designed for durability and reliability—and have been for many decades. Asa trusted partner to the agricultural industry, we understand your applications. Whether you use screw, belt, or chain conveyors, bucket elevators, or rotary valves, SEW-EURODRIVE offers decisive added value in agricultural logistics throughout the entire life cycle of your systems.
Safety First—Reliable Components for Demanding Ambient Conditions
During the transport, bearing arrangement, and processing of grain, explosive mixtures of dust and air can form. Depending on the fineness and composition of the dust, 60 to 2,000 grams of dust per cubic meter of air are sufficient to trigger a dust explosion when exposed to a suitable ignition source. Even standard drive technology can serve as such an ignition source. To prevent the generation of ignitable sparks, we consistently rely on explosion-protected drives in facilities with hazards. Our explosion-protected gearmotors comply with the requirements of EU Directive 2014/34/EU (ATEX, formerly Directive 94/9/EC). They also comply with the IEC/IECEx and HazLoc-NA® standards, which facilitates the global use of our drive technology. In addition, we offer degree of protection IP65/66, surface protection levels OS1 through OS4, and surface protection as part of the XCO® drive package.
Explosion-Protected GearmotorsThe drive experts at your side—guaranteed plant availability
Agricultural logistics is a sporadic business—not always predictable and highly intensive. We ensure that your system is up to the high requirements and works when you need it to—whether during startup, repairs, inspections, and maintenance, or through system modernization via retrofit. Don’t leave anything to chance—leave it to the service team at SEW-EURODRIVE. Your personal contact person is there for you whenever you need them. Our services are an integral part of our business philosophy and closely geared with our products—so you get everything from a single source! SEW-EURODRIVE has stood for expertise in drive and automation technology for more than 87 years. If you can’t afford any downtime, trust in the professionalism and personalized advice of our service team. For reliable support that guarantees the safety of your production process.
Learn more about Life Cycle ServicesProtecting the Environment with Drive Technology
For successful and sustainable production, companies in the agricultural industry depend on a healthy environment. Of course, many factors play a role here. One factor we can influence—and that also saves you money—is the use of energy-efficient drive technology —whether in normal ambient conditions or in potentially explosive atmospheres. In non-optimized systems, energy costs can account for up to 90% of life-cycle costs.
With our energy-saving drive solutions, ranging from IE1 to IE4, you can doyour partfor the environment while saving money at the same time. With our support, identify energy-saving potentials and reduce both your energy costs and your direct and indirect CO2emissions. Our energy-saving concept ensures a comprehensive assessment and consistent implementation of all relevant energy-saving factors. With our energy-saving tools , we help you select and calculate energy-saving drive solutions.
Components and TD
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Data and Documents
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