Paper Mill Gearbox Repair, Pulper Gears and Obsolete Mill Shafts
Paper machines are rebuilt section by section over decades, which leaves mills running drives nobody supports any more. We manufacture replacement gears and shafts and rebuild the gearboxes.
Pulp and paper drives we work on
Wet, continuous, and intolerant of unplanned stops. Most of what we see comes out of an annual shutdown.
- Paper machine section drives and line shaft gearing
- Pulper and repulper drive gearboxes and shafts
- Refiner and deflaker drives
- Press section, calender and reel drives
- Winder and rewinder drive gearing
- Chipper and debarker drives
- Digester and blow tank agitator gearboxes
- Lime kiln and recovery boiler auxiliary drives
- Screw press, thickener and dewatering drives
- Woodyard and chip conveyor reducers
Machine drive gearing
Section drive and line shaft gearing manufactured to the existing geometry, so the drive stays in its position on the machine.
Pulper and refiner components
Drive shafts and gear sets for pulpers, refiners and agitators, including long-discontinued ranges.
Obsolete shaft manufacture
Mill shafts machined complete to measured fits where no drawing exists.
What arrives from a mill shutdown
Inspection during the annual shutdown generates most of these enquiries.
| What fails | What we supply |
|---|---|
| Worn section drive gearing | Replacement gear set to the existing centres |
| Pulper drive shaft failure | Shaft machined complete to the original fits |
| Refiner gearbox beyond limits | Rebuild with new gearing and restored journals |
| Discontinued winder drive, no spares | Internals reverse engineered from the removed unit |
| Agitator gearbox output shaft cracked | Replacement output shaft and gear set |
| Conveyor reducer worn out | Rebuild or replacement gearing to suit the existing housing |
Working from no drawings
Most of the drive components we are asked for are no longer manufactured, and the original drawings are long gone. We reverse engineer from the worn part itself: the component is measured, the tooth geometry and fits are established, material is confirmed, and a replacement is cut to suit the existing housing, shafts and bearings so nothing else in the assembly has to change.
Where a gear has failed because of a design limitation rather than wear, we will say so and propose the change rather than reproduce the fault.
Quality and documentation
Euro Gear operates an ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system. EN 10204 3.1 material certification is available on request, with mill traceability. Components bound for the United Kingdom or European Union ship as partly completed machinery with a Declaration of Incorporation.
Lead times
We are built around planned work: shutdowns, turnarounds and scheduled overhauls booked in advance, where the component has to be right and on site for a known date. Tell us the outage date and we will tell you honestly whether we can meet it. We do not offer field service or emergency breakdown attendance.
Common questions
- Can you make a drive shaft with no drawing?
- Yes. We measure the removed shaft and its housing and coupling fits and machine a replacement to suit.
- Our paper machine drives are from several different eras. Does that matter?
- No. We work unit by unit from the components rather than from a product range, which is how most mills arrive.
- Can you supply to our annual shutdown?
- Yes, and planned shutdown work is what we are built around. Give us the date at enquiry.
- Do you rebuild or replace?
- Whichever the inspection supports. If the housing and shafts are sound, rebuilding is usually better value and the report will say so.
- Do you provide material certification?
- EN 10204 3.1 with mill traceability on request.
Send us the part
A photograph of the nameplate and the worn component is usually enough for us to tell you whether we can help. Drawings are welcome but not required.