The steel industry relies on Falk gearboxes to power the tough machines used during manufacturing processes. It’s vital for steel plants to receive top-quality gear systems to keep machinery and equipment performing their best while enduring harsh environments. The steel industry’s rise and evolution contributed to the United States’ growth. Without steel, many industries would not experience the successes they enjoy today. Falk speed gearbox parts keep factories up and running, further empowering the economy.
Industries that Rely on Steel
Several industries rely on steel. Top consumers include:
Construction
The construction industry is the top consumer of steel as it accounts for about 50 percent of the world’s total steel consumption. Each year, construction firms around the world consume about $7.5 billion in steel products. The United States leads as the top consumer, followed closely by China.
Automotive
Coming in at second place in regard to global steel consumption, the automotive industry uses iron and steel, which makes up about 70 percent of a vehicle’s weight. Auto manufacturers use a variety of steel products for automotive components, but surface-treated steel is among the most commonly used. The industry uses steel sheets for frames, hoods, bumpers, tanks and doors. Manufacturers use wear-resistant specialty steel for transmission, suspension and engine parts.
While the U.S. leads the pack in regard to steel consumption for construction purposes, China consumes more steel than any other country for automotive manufacturing.
Machinery
As the third-most steel-consuming industry, the machinery industry manufactures industrial equipment and components using steel. Steel plates, pipes, bars, sheets and specialty steels are all frequently used. This broad industry is responsible for producing equipment for other industries, such as the public utility, mining and agricultural industries.
Falk Gearbox Parts Used in the Steel Industry 
The steel industry depends on high-performance Falk gears and gearboxes in the machinery, systems and equipment used to improve processing and production lines. Gear systems are often used for:
- Hot and cold rolling mills
- Furnace tilt drives
- Elevators
- Conveyor systems
- Shears
- Coilers
- Bridal Drives
- Overhead cranes
- Mill drives
- Shear drives
- Strip un-coilers and re-coilers
- Pinion stands for rolling mills
- Ladle turrets
- Continuous-casting drivers
- Slitter drives
- Winch gears
- Traveling units and lift mechanisms for cranes
Gearboxes and related components popularly used in the steel industry include:
- Roll drive gearboxes
- Shear drive gearboxes
- Tension leveler gearboxes
- Pinion gears
- Single input and multi-output shaft gearboxes
- High-torque planetary gearboxes
- Main hoist drive gearboxes
- Worm and worm reduction gearboxes
- Helical and bevel-helical gearboxes
- Couplings
- Dual tandem gearbox
For material handling, heavy-duty cranes use special helical gearboxes. Belt conveyor drives use bevel-helical gearboxes. Horizontal mills and rotary kilns employ ball mill and rotary kiln drives. Planetary gear units may be better suited for central mill drives. Horizontal helical and vertical bevel-helical gear units are often found in cold and hot rolling mills, as well as wire-drawing machines.
Mar-Dustrial offers a vast range of gearboxes and parts for the steel industry to achieve optimal performance. Our Falk gearbox specialists excel at reconditioning, repairing and rebuilding speed reducers to like-new condition. Get in touch with one of our experts seven days a week, 24 hours a day, for all your gearbox needs.
Posted under Falk Gearboxes on Tuesday, September 4th, 2018