The Drum Drive – The Heart of the Freezer

The drum drive is the powerhouse that keeps your spiral freezer’s belt moving. Over time, wear and tear can lead to inefficiencies, often caused by gearbox oil loss and water ingress. These issues result in belt slippage, uneven freezing, and increased mechanical stress on other components. If the drum drive begins to fail, the belt won’t move smoothly, leading to product inconsistencies, excessive strain on the motor, and even unexpected system shutdowns. 

A Costly Lesson in Downtime 

This became a tough lesson for one of the UK’s major frozen baked goods producers. Everything was running smoothly—until it wasn’t. Their production line was operating at full capacity when the spiral freezer came to a grinding halt. The drum drive had completely failed. 

At first, they assumed it was a minor glitch. But attempts to restart the system were futile. The belt wasn’t moving, and the entire production line was at a standstill. With thousands of kilos of pastry products waiting to be processed, every passing hour meant escalating losses. The real issue? Due to the loss of the gearbox oil, which had gone unnoticed, the gearbox had been running with a lot of friction, grinding the internal parts against each other and damaging the components. Worse yet, they had no spare gearbox on hand. 

The standard lead time for a replacement drum drive is several months. Faced with mounting pressure, they scrambled for alternatives—eventually resorting to costly expedited shipping and emergency repairs. 

That’s when Korutek stepped in.

While standard lead times would have delayed the replacement by several months, we were able to source and deliver a compatible gearbox in record time. Thanks to Korutek’s design expertise and technical knowledge, we successfully modified the machine to accommodate the newly sourced gearbox, which had a significantly shorter lead time. We also provided them with a specialised low-temperature coated gearbox—an upgrade that not only withstands harsh freezing environments but also helped extend the operational shelf life of the gearbox. 

Upon inspection, the gearbox oil analysis revealed small metal filings inside, confirming that the unit had been running without the correct amount of oil, leading to internal degradation. 

Our ability to respond rapidly, backed by a strong supplier network and in-house engineering support, helped the customer avoid even longer delays and reduce the overall impact on production. 

But the damage was done. They lost more than a freezer’s worth of product, disrupted their supply chain, and incurred thousands in unplanned costs. 

The True Cost of Delaying Maintenance 

What started as an overlooked issue turned into a full-scale crisis. The consequences of not having a spare drum drive included: 

• Unplanned downtime, leading to missed orders and production delays 

• Expensive emergency repairs, driving up operational costs 

• Product waste impacting profitability and supply chain commitments 

• Increased wear on other components, shortening the lifespan of the entire system 

A Simple Solution: Be Proactive 

This entire situation could have been avoided. By conducting regular inspections and keeping a spare drum drive in stock, they would have been able to swap out the failing unit immediately, preventing costly downtime. 

Here’s how to stay ahead: 

• Monitor for early warning signs: Unusual noises, inconsistent belt movement, or oil leaks 

• Schedule routine maintenance: Regular servicing prevents minor issues from escalating 

• Keep critical spares in stock: Avoid long lead times and unexpected breakdowns by making sure you have them in stock  

The drum drive is the heart of your spiral freezer—don’t wait for a failure to realize its importance. Take action now to prevent costly downtime.
Contact us today to discuss spare parts and maintenance solutions!