When a brewery in south-central Georgia needed to replace a Master ComboGear, their distributor called on Master Power Transmission to help them get the fermentation line up and running. The next day Master PT shipped directly a new gearbox to limit the downtime from fermentation to bottling. It also sparked a plant survey, which unveiled some surprising performance results.
Brian Dentler, director of marketing and customer relations at Master PT, found the brewery’s conveyor lines were serviced by mostly Master ComboGear, a right angle worm helical gear reducer, and Master XL, a speed reducer readily adaptable for C-face mounting. There were also two competing products serving the conveyor lines.
After walking through a line where several Master XL flange mounted units were in use, the on-site MRO buyer told Dentler he had never replaced a Master XL gearbox in his six-year tenure at the brewery. This was a line he rarely visited because he never had any problems.
Meanwhile, the maintenance supervisor was having problems with one a competitors’ product. Each time he had to change out a gearbox, there was a different length through the bore, which required a longer shaft. The flange-mounting pattern is also different. When the product failed under warranty, they were told the warranty was void because they misapplied the product.
“When I get a Master product like the ComboGear, I know it’s going to work. It’s going to be consistent every time,” the maintenance supervisor told Dentler.
One has to look at total life cycle cost, Dentler said. Master ComboGear and Master XL may have a higher price point, but they are also built to last. They are more robust and durable, and are designed to be repairable.
“When you buy a less durable gearbox that you have to replace two or three times over a five-year span, are you really better off?” he added.
For more information on how Master PT can be a great resource for food processing and conveying, including bottle conveyors, contact one of our Product Specialists at 888-616-1094 or email at customerservice@master-pt.com.
