Platform for the food and beverage industry
Belgium has not only the highest quality food, but also the highest quality machine builders to serve its food industry. FAM is one of them. In forty years, the company from Kontich has established itself as the reference in cutting machines worldwide. Finding quality components are therefore always the order of the day. For its Centris 400C Optitec, FAM found a planetary gearbox with the desired power and impeccable hygiene at Apex Dynamics.
FAM develops and manufactures industrial cutting machines for the food industry. This is done from its headquarters in Kontich, but the company operates all over the world. Anything that needs to be cut to size for food companies from vegetables, fruits and nuts to cheese, meat, fish and poultry, even chips and French fries, can be given the right shape with FAM's machines. "The starting point is to keep all the know-how about cutting blades and processes in-house. The close cooperation with sister company Stumabo International, which produces precision knives, is an exponent of this. In this way, we can master cutting to perfection and pursue the highest quality in every production step to give our customers the desired result. Hence, a global presence is also so important. Other cultures have different needs and ways of thinking and eating. We try to be as close to our customers as possible," says project engineer Nikki Vekemans.
A good example is the development of the Centris 400C Optitec. A machine that was initially developed for the American market, but now received a variant with a European engine from Kontich. The Centris 400C Optitec was developed to cut its teeth in cheese. A complex product because of its texture and especially its sensitivity to contamination. "Cutting cheese requires high torque and high power to cut it quickly and efficiently. In addition, cheese is susceptible to mold and bacteria, such as listeria. Therefore, the highest level of hygiene must be achieved in your installation. That requires components made of stainless steel that have a smooth finish, and are corrosion resistant to stand up to the daily intensive cleaning processes and the chemicals used in them."
A search that initially did not yield a suitable planetary gearbox. Until the motor supplier FAM pointed in the direction of Apex Dynamics. "Because of both the available space within the machine concept and the high power density we needed, it had to be a planetary gearbox for us. But there are few on the market in stainless steel," Vekemans points out. A second important element was the quality of the gearbox. "Our customers expect reliable machines. In the food sector, where (fresh) products can go to waste, downtime is completely out of the question.
That's why we bet on quality components." The AE205 from Apex Dynamics met FAM's requirements perfectly. With a gear ratio of 6 and up to 2,000 Nm of torque, it delivered the performance the Centris 400C Optitec needed.
Vekemans: "We clearly see that hygiene requirements in the food sector are becoming increasingly stringent. The hygienic finish of the AE205 planetary gearbox therefore immediately catches the eye. Because we originally worked with an American drive, with a fairly small gear wheel, a smaller shaft diameter was also needed here on the output side. Even with this custom modification, Apex Dynamics managed to deliver the all stainless steel gearbox with customized motor adapter within five weeks. A strong feat of organization, especially in corona times. In addition, they always give answers to our questions that allow us to come to a solution for our customer. That's what you look for in a partner. Replacing gearboxes in existing models of machines is no easy task. But for new machine concepts, we will definitely turn to Apex Dynamics to see if we can work together again," concludes Vekemans.
