Harmonic Drive to showcase high-strength precision gears

With over 40 years' experience in providing innovative and well-engineered products to industries from aerospace and military to industrial and automotive, Harmonic Drive is a specialist in high-precision actuator technology. The company's competitive advantage is provided by zero backlash gears with high reduction ratios.

Bringing this technology to the marine, oil and gas sectors, Harmonic Drive provides component sets designed for integration into machines used in extreme environments as well as gear units with integrated bearings, providing quick adaption for motors and shafts. In addition to this, complete servo actuator systems with or without hollow shafts are available.

Harmonic Drive works closely with its customers to provide individual systems. For instance, Saab Seaeye, the world leader in ROVs, uses the compact Harmonic Drive HDUF gear component set in their rugged pan and tilt camera unit.

Harmonic Drive's proven reliability in the harshest possible subsea conditions is a result of the simple and rugged design of the HDUF gear, which provides a reliable low-weight, high-output torque system with precise control.

Communication is essential in the often turbulent offshore oil and gas platform environment. Transmitting voice and data signals between platforms and supply vessels is vital to their successful operation. It is for this reason that Harmonic Drive's CHA range of Hollow Shaft Actuators is used to precisely align communication antennas mounted on these rigs.

The integrated system provided by the CHA actuator includes a feedback system, a brushless motor, precision gear and a high capacity cross roller bearing. The large central capacity of the Hollow Shaft can be used to pass cables, shafts or even laser beams through the centre of the gear.

Graham Mackrell, managing director of Harmonic Drive UK, explains: "We see marine, oil and gas as an important and growing market. We are ideally suited to meet its demand for reliability in a harsh environment. If you're at a depth of 3000m, it's very expensive to repair faulty equipment. Our products provide a low maintenance and long life solution for customers with subsea needs."

To learn more about high-quality strain wave gears and associated equipment from Harmonic Drive, please visit www.harmonicdrive.co.uk.