EP-BPG Series Energy-Saving Planetary Gearbox — Standard Industrial Drive (EP-BPG040 hangtod EP-BPG160)

Ang EP-BPG energy-saving planetary gearbox is Korea Ever-Power's compact industrial gear reducer for general-purpose applications where a standard induction motor or variable frequency drive provides the input and the output requirements are defined by speed ratio and shaft torque — not by angular positioning accuracy. Five frame sizes from EP-BPG040 to EP-BPG160 cover the broad range of industrial motor pairings, with single-stage ratios including 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 10 (note: ratios 6 and 9 are not available in this series), and two-stage ratios from 12:1 to 100:1.

The "energy-saving" designation reflects an internal design philosophy: the gear geometry, tooth surface finish, and lubrication system are optimised to minimise no-load drag torque — the power consumed by the gearbox itself when running without a mechanical output load. In continuous-duty industrial applications running 16–24 hours per day, this no-load drag reduction accumulates into meaningful electricity savings compared to conventional worm gear reducers or older planetary designs where internal friction is not specifically managed.

How Planetary Gear Drag Loss Occurs

In any planetary gear reducer, the total power loss has two components: load-dependent loss (gear tooth mesh friction, proportional to transmitted torque) and no-load loss (churning of lubricant, seal drag, and bearing drag, present even when no torque is being transmitted). For an industrial conveyor running continuously at partial load — typical of most factory floor applications — the no-load loss can represent 30–60% of the total gearbox power consumption.

EP-BPG's energy-saving design addresses no-load loss specifically: optimised lubricant fill level avoids excess churning, the gear tooth surface finish reduces oil adhesion drag at mesh points, and the bearing selection minimises rolling drag under no-load conditions. The result is a planetary gear reducer that consumes less electricity than a conventional design at the same rating — without changing the output speed, torque, or gear ratio.

Where the Savings Accumulate

EP-BPG — Standard Input Flange

• ▸Standard motor mounting flange at input end
• ▸Compatible with standard IEC/NEMA induction motors
• ▸Mounting threads: M4 to M12 depending on frame size
• ▸Direct motor-to-gearbox coupling, in-line configuration

EP-BPGA — A-Type Flange Input

• ▸A-type (alternative geometry) input flange arrangement
• ▸Suits motor frame configurations where standard flange does not align with the machine structure
• ▸Identical internal gear train — same torque, ratio, and efficiency as BPG
• ▸Specify when your motor face geometry requires the A-type interface

Hoist and Lifting Drives

Industrial hoists and overhead cranes use planetary gear reducers to achieve the high reduction ratios required for controlled lifting from standard motor speeds. EP-BPG120 and EP-BPG160 at two-stage 25:1–50:1 serve light-to-medium industrial hoisting. Important: for vertical lifting applications requiring fail-safe load holding on power loss, a self-locking secondary stage from worm gearbox specialists is typically added downstream — planetary gears are not inherently self-locking.

Cooling Tower and HVAC Fan Drives

Cooling tower fans operate continuously, making running efficiency directly proportional to electricity cost over the installation's lifetime. EP-BPG040 to EP-BPG080 at 5:1–10:1 connect standard 4-pole motors to slower cooling tower fan impeller shafts. The energy-saving design's lower no-load drag translates to measurable annual kWh savings compared to worm gear alternatives on a per-tower basis, especially in facilities with multiple cooling towers running year-round.

Screw Feeder and Auger Drives

Bulk material handling augers and screw feeders — for grain, powder, plastic pellet, and aggregate handling — run at low output speeds (5–60 rpm) under variable torque loads. EP-BPG120 and EP-BPG160 at two-stage 20:1–50:1 provide the sustained torque with the planetary gear's inherently better shock load tolerance compared to worm gears, which are more susceptible to damage from the impact torque when a screw encounters a hard inclusion in the bulk material stream.

• ✔Backlash verified per batch — <6 or <8 arcmin per frame size confirmed
• ✔Full-load torque test at rated output torque for each production batch
• ✔Noise check at rated input speed — <65 dB(A) confirmed
• ✔No-load drag torque verification for energy-saving performance
• ✔Dimensional inspection and material traceability certificate

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Replaced 28 worm gear reducers on our logistics sorting conveyor with EP-BPG120 at 25:1. The electricity meter tells the story: 14% reduction in drive motor energy consumption across the conveyor system — measured over a full quarter against the same period the previous year. Sealed lubrication has eliminated the quarterly oil change schedule that previously required our maintenance team to drain and replace oil from 28 units. No failures in 20 months of 24/7 operation.

EP-BPG160 at 30:1 for a chemical mixing vessel agitator — continuous duty, 55°C ambient near the reaction vessel. The previous worm gear drive ran at 72°C housing temperature, had a mandatory cooling fan, and still needed oil changes every 3,000 hours. EP-BPG160 runs at 44°C housing temperature, no external cooling fan, and the sealed unit requires no scheduled oil changes at all. Saved us one maintenance intervention per quarter and the power consumption for the cooling fan motor. 15 months, no faults.

EP-BPG080 at 7:1 for cooling tower fan drives in a 14-tower installation, all VFD-controlled at 65–80% speed for most of the year. At partial speed the efficiency advantage over our old worm gear drives is even more pronounced than at full speed — at 70% speed the worm was running at roughly 48% efficiency, the BPG is still above 90%. The energy saving on 14 units has paid back the hardware cost difference in under 8 months. One comment: ratio 6 is not available in BPG series, so we used ratio 7 which gave us slightly lower output speed than planned — check ratio availability before finalising your specification.

EP-BPG120 at 20:1 on a food ingredient screw feeder — sealed unit eliminates the risk of oil contamination near food contact zones that we had with the previous oil-change worm gear drives. The planetary design handles the shock loading when the screw encounters compact ingredient clumps better than the worm gear we replaced, which had two worm wheel replacements in 3 years from impact damage. EP-BPG120: 18 months, zero failures, zero contamination incidents, zero oil-change maintenance. This is now our standard specification for all screw feeders in the facility.

QCan I use EP-BPG with a servo motor for position-controlled automation?

Technically possible for light-duty servo applications where the required positioning accuracy is within <6–8 arcmin. However, EP-BPG is not designed or rated for the high-cycle reversal duty of servo positioning systems, and the backlash specification (<6 or <8 arcmin depending on frame size) is less tight than the EP-BAB series P1 ≤3 arcmin. For any application where a servo controller is performing closed-loop position control of a machine axis — robots, CNC tables, indexing systems — we strongly recommend the EP-BAB series. Use EP-BPG for speed/torque control applications where position accuracy is not a primary specification.

QWhy are ratios 6 and 9 not available in the EP-BPG single-stage range?

The available single-stage ratios (3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10) reflect the gear tooth count combinations that are achievable within the BPG's energy-saving design parameters — specifically the gear geometry optimised for low no-load drag. Ratios 6 and 9, while available in the precision EP-BAB series, are not part of the EP-BPG product range. If your application specifically requires a ratio of 6 or 9, use a two-stage EP-BPG configuration (which may achieve the equivalent ratio through stage combination) or select the EP-BAB series at those ratios. Contact Korea Ever-Power to discuss the closest available BPG two-stage ratio that meets your output speed requirement.

QIs the sealed lubrication truly maintenance-free, or does it need replacement after a number of years?

Under normal operating conditions (ambient temperature 0–40°C, duty cycle within rated parameters), EP-BPG sealed lubrication does not require scheduled replacement. The lubricant volume and type are selected to provide adequate film throughout the product's rated service life. If the gearbox operates continuously above 40°C ambient or at persistent overload, the lubricant life may be reduced — contact Korea Ever-Power to confirm whether the application conditions require periodic inspection. Sealed lubrication does not mean "never inspect": if the unit shows leakage, unusual noise, or operating temperature significantly above ambient, schedule an inspection.

QWhen should I use EP-BPGA instead of EP-BPG?

EP-BPGA is specified when the motor-side mounting geometry requires the A-type flange interface rather than the standard input flange of EP-BPG. This is typically the case when the motor frame or mounting arrangement in the machine design cannot accommodate the standard input flange geometry — for example, certain IEC motor frames, custom motor mounting orientations, or retrofitting into an existing machine where the available space constraints the input flange clearance. Internal gear train, gear ratios, backlash, efficiency, and all performance specifications are identical. Provide Korea Ever-Power with the motor frame dimensions and mounting arrangement to confirm the correct variant.

QHow do I calculate actual energy savings when replacing a worm gear drive with EP-BPG?

Annual energy saving (kWh) = Motor power (kW) × Annual operating hours × (1/η_worm − 1/η_BPG), where η values are the respective efficiencies at your typical load level. Example: 2.2 kW motor, 6,000 hr/year, worm at 55% efficiency vs EP-BPG at 95% efficiency — annual saving = 2.2 × 6,000 × (1/0.55 − 1/0.95) = 2.2 × 6,000 × (1.818 − 1.053) = approximately 10,100 kWh per unit per year. At Korean industrial electricity tariffs, this represents a significant cost saving per installed unit — and multiplied across all units in a facility, a compelling business case for the product specification change. Korea Ever-Power can provide a facility-level energy saving calculation based on your specific motor sizes, duty cycles, and electricity cost.