The WPT Pilotless™ Mechanical Power Take-off (PTO) has proven to be the workhorse in the mechanical power transmission industry. The new bearing arrangement eliminates the pilot bearing and increases sideload capacity up to 70 percent over the previous generation PTOs. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the best uses for the Pilotless™ Mechanical PTO in the Tree Care, Marine, and Energy industries.
The forestry industry is more demanding than ever. Machines are required to work harder, longer, and run more efficiently. WPT realized this and one of the best uses for the Pilotless™ Mechanical PTO is on a wood chipper and horizontal grinder. Both machines require an enormous amount of power to function correctly. As a result, the belt tension needed to transfer this power is high. The previous generation of PTOs relied on a matched tapered roller bearing set and a sealed pilot bearing to support this belt tension. The new Pilotless™ design uses a pair of high capacity spherical roller bearings with individual grease ports that give the PTO up to 70 percent more capacity than the previous generation. Putting a Pilotless™ Mechanical PTO into a demanding application like a chipper or grinder will pay off big in the long run.
Another great use for the Pilotless™ Mechanical PTO is in marine pumping applications. The marine industry has been using PTOs on dredges and barge pumps for years. The typical arrangement has an engine coupled to a pump via a drive shaft with the PTO used as a mechanical disconnect. In the older style PTOs, a pilot bearing is supported by the engine flywheel. This means loads—both axial and radial—are transferred into the main engine bearings. The lack of a pilot bearing in the Pilotless™ PTO means there is no load transferred to the main engine bearings. Less load on the engine bearings, means longer life. A main engine bearing failure is no joke and can cost a company tens of thousands of dollars in lost time and repair. Moving to a WPT Pilotless™ Mechanical PTO is great move for increasing the life of vital drivetrain components.
Whether it is oil and gas exploration—land-based or offshore—or oil and gas production, one thing is very clear: any downtime in the Energy industry means lost dollars. Reliability is a key component in keeping your equipment up and running for the long haul. One of the best uses for the WPT Pilotless™ Mechanical PTO in the Energy industry is on pumping units for oil production. The Pilotless™ Mechanical PTO has been designed with ease of maintenance in mind. The PTOs of the past used a cast bronze throw-out collar to engage and disengage the PTO. The new Pilotless™ Mechanical PTOs come standard with a heavy duty sealed-for-life ball bearing throw-out collar. Not only does this make for a strong unit, it also increases the maintenance interval from 20 to 100 hours. On operations that run continuously, this translates into big savings for the maintenance of your well.
No matter what industry you find yourself using a PTO—Forestry, Marine, or Energy—a move to the WPT Pilotless™ PTO can provide you with the durability, reliability, and longevity required in today’s working environment. With increased sideload capacity, no direct loading on the engine bearings, and less maintenance, the Pilotless™ Mechanical PTO will soon become the best PTO for you.
For more information about the Pilotless™ Mechanical Power Take-off, please contact WPT Power or call 940.761.1971.