Explore how Rexnord™ Planetgear inline gear drives help minimise downtime, simplify maintenance, and lower spare parts inventory through intelligent modular engineering. Featuring real-world insights from an operating cement plant, discover how a strategic approach to gear drive selection supports long-term reliability and reduces total cost of ownership.
Reducing lifecycle costs through smarter gear drive strategies
Gear drives play a critical role in cement production, often under extreme environmental conditions. From conveyors and bucket elevators to crushers and ball mills, gear drives must perform reliably despite heavy loads, abrasive dust, and around-the-clock operating schedules.
Downtime, labour, and spare parts inventory are a few of the factors that contribute to the total cost of ownership (TCO). As a result, many cement producers are re-evaluating their drive solutions based not only on the upfront cost but on their long-term impact on reliability, maintenance, and plant performance.
To address these challenges, many cement producers are turning to planetary gear drives such as Rexnord™ Planetgear. With a compact footprint and high torque density, they deliver reliable performance in demanding cement applications while supporting uptime, minimising maintenance, and reducing total cost of ownership.
Addressing the challenges of aging drive systems
Many cement facilities continue to rely on legacy gear drives that have operated reliably for decades. However, as the equipment ages, maintenance can become increasingly costly and complex. Replacing internal components is often no longer economical, and if an exact replacement is unavailable, installing a new gearbox may require modifications to mounting arrangements, couplings, or surrounding equipment.
These challenges often create an opportunity to rethink gearbox strategy. Rather than replacing existing equipment with the same style of reducer, plants are increasingly evaluating alternatives that can simplify maintenance while supporting long-term operational and efficiency goals.
Rexnord Planetgear Inline Gear Drives provide one such solution. Their compact, in-line design allows torque to be distributed across multiple planetary gears, creating an efficient, high-torque solution that is well suited for demanding applications. In many retrofit situations, they can also help reduce installation complexity compared to traditional right-angle gearboxes.
Supporting reliability in cement applications
The advantages of planetary gear drives are especially relevant in cement operations, where equipment uptime directly impacts production. The Rexnord Planetgear line has long been used in these applications because of its rugged, compact design and proven reliability. From screw and belt conveyors to bucket elevators, drive systems must withstand continuous-duty operation while remaining serviceable throughout their lifecycle.
As equipment ages, however, maintenance costs can increase and replacement options become more limited. After evaluating the cost and complexity of maintaining ageing gear drives, the maintenance team at Phoenix Cement began replacing conventional right-angle drives with Planetgear reducers. What initially started as a single installation on a conveyor expanded over time into numerous conveyor and elevator applications throughout the facility. According to plant personnel, the transition simplified maintenance, reduced downtime, and lowered replacement costs, leading to quick and broad adoption across the operation.
Reducing inventory through modularity
One often-overlooked contributor to TCO is spare parts inventory. Many plants operate with a mix of gearbox types, each requiring unique replacement components and maintenance procedures when the time comes. Over time, the cost of carrying and managing these parts can become significant.
A key benefit of the Planetgear platform is its modular design. Across product families such as Mercury, Venus, Earth, Saturn, and Orion, common design elements and shared components can help reduce the number of spare parts a facility needs to stock. In some cases, a planetary gear set or related components may even be used across multiple unit configurations.
This standardisation can simplify maintenance planning, reduce inventory requirements, and help maintenance teams respond more quickly when repairs are needed, translating into meaningful long-term savings.
A broader approach to lifecycle value
While the gearbox is a critical component, overall system performance depends on the complete drivetrain, as well as couplings, motor mounts, and other supporting components which all play a role in overall reliability and maintenance efficiency. Working with a supplier capable of supporting large drive systems can help simplify equipment selection, maintenance practices, and standardisation efforts across multiple applications.
For cement producers, the most cost-effective gearbox is rarely defined by purchase price alone. Long-term value is created through reduced downtime, simplified maintenance, and a more efficient spare parts strategy. By combining planetary gearing with modular designs, Rexnord Planetgear gear drives provide a clear and practical way for plants to improve equipment reliability and lower their TCO throughout the life of their equipment.
For more information please visit Regal Rexnord.