Engineering solutions pro-vider Bearing Man Group’s (BMG’s) specialist industrial gears and electric motors divi-sion, BMG Drives, last month extended its Nord drives system range to include robust units with NSD tupH sealed surface conversion treatment systems for improved process reliability in extreme ambient conditions prevalent at mining operations.

“Nord’s NSD tupH surface and corrosion protection system, which is resistant to acids and alkalis and is free from chromates, enables efficient drive performance in harsh operating environments,” says BMG Drives Nord product manager Derrick Louw.

He explains that the catalytic NSD tupH process permanently bonds a high hardness layer to the aluminium substrate of standard Nord geared units.

Louw notes that the layer then undergoes a sealing process and develops a surface hardness up to seven times that of untreated aluminium and about 1 000 times harder than paints and lacquers.

“This surface treatment protection technology for aluminium is a lightweight alternative to stainless steel. “The advantages of this tech-nology include substantially lower mass, improved instal-lation options and cost effi-ciency,” he highlights.

Louw adds that Nord’s easy-to-clean surface treatment – which is not a paint layer that can detach or flake off – offers optimum protection against scratching, blistering and the penetration of corrosion, even if the unit is damaged.

“This new surface conversion system, which extends the sur- face life of gear units, is highly resistant to extreme environ-ments and aggressive cleaning chemicals, even under high-pressure washdown conditions,” he points out.

Louw says the company undertook extensive tests over the past year, which showed that the NSD tupH surfaces were not affected by corrosion or damage, even after 1 000 hours of continu-ous salt water rinsing.

“NSD tupH-finished units can be combined with stainless steel shafts, sealing components and lubrication suitable for harsh environments. This surface treatment is available for the entire Nord range of aluminium products, which includes worm gear units, bevel and helical gear units and smooth motors.”

Louw states that the Nord range is designed by German engineering firm Getriebebau Nord and assembled locally by BMG according to stringent international quality and safety specifications.

“The Nord range has earned recognition worldwide for reliability, efficiency, low noise levels, extended life and reduced maintenance,” he concludes.