Saving Soup with the Bevel Buddybox

Problem:

Blount Fine Foods is a local soup manufacturer known for producing some of the finest chowder and prepackaged meals in the area. Their products are available in supermarkets and local restaurants. Among their offerings, the New England Clam Chowder and Lobster Bisque stand out as some of the best in the industry. The soups are packaged in vacuum-sealed bags and chilled before shipping.

The manufacturing process includes an old cone drive double-reduction worm gearbox that operates a chain drive on the tumbler chiller. This gearbox rotates the packaged bags of soup, ensuring they are properly refrigerated. However, the cone drive is oversized, inefficient, and noisy, and the chain drive requires constant maintenance. Additionally, the sprocket shaft is secured with a bushing, and the key tends to roll over, which can lead to cracking in the bushing.

Solution:

We sold them a grease-packed Bevel Buddybox that mounts directly to the shaft without the need for a key. The worm gear ratio and the sprocket ratio have been combined into this new BBB design. By eliminating the chain drive, we avoid issues with shaft key rollover. The BBB significantly reduces noise, and its efficient gearing and lack of chain maintenance led to energy savings. Additionally, the grease-packed BBB is maintenance-free.