The key to success is to focus on direct drive systems

Frost & Sullivan’s research, ‘Global Gearboxes and Gear Motors Market, Forecast to 2021’, finds that gearboxes in the power rating segment 500kW to 10MW are expected to be the fastest growing segment due to significant share of this type of gearbox in wind turbines.

The study provides a comprehensive understanding of market trends, forecasts, opportunities and challenges across 16 end-user segments and four geographic regions. Four major gear technologies across five gear power ratings are also assessed. A competitive landscape for major players such as Siemens AG, SEW-EURODRIVE, China High Speed Transmission Equipment Group Co. Ltd, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Chongqing Gearbox Group, Rexnord Corporation, Nabtesco Corporation, and others is provided. 

“The renewable energy segment provides opportunities for motors vendors that have significant presence and capability in supplying gearboxes or gear motors of power ratings up to 7.5kW and 7.5-75.0kW for positioning applications,” said Frost & Sullivan Mechanical Power Transmission Research Analyst Krishnan Raman. “Typical applications are in yaw and pitch control of wind turbines and in solar tracking for repositioning of solar panels.”

Regional trends and developments in the global gearbox and gear motors market include:

• Asia-Pacific region witnessing significant growth with strong demand from applications in discrete manufacturing, such as automobile manufacturing, machine tools, packaging, semiconductor electronics manufacturing, and wind power generation segments;
• Fast growth in North America due to return of manufacturing to the United States and growing investment in the material handling, oil and gas, and chemical industries;
• North America end-user preference for worm gearboxes with cast iron casing;
• Gearbox and gear motors manufacturers supplying bevel and helical gear motors with low backlash in the output power range of less than 7.5kW to gain significant sales opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region;
• Europe, Middle East, and Africa region to remain the largest market for gearboxes and gear motors;
• Increase in sales of gearboxes and gear motors in Europe due to large original equipment manufacturers that export significant share of machinery to regions such as Asia, North America, and Latin America;
• Brazil coming out of a recession in the medium term will bolster Latin America’s growth potential; and
• Mexico experiencing moderate growth.  

“Drive system providers such as Siemens AG, SEW-EURODRIVE, Lenze, Nord Drivesystems, Bonfiglioli, and ABB Dodge should focus on developing and expanding expertise in direct drive technology; for example, high-torque permanent magnet motors to compensate for the loss of gear sales that are likely to result from the adoption of this technology,” noted Raman.