NEWS

The ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU and IEC Ex requires that both motors and gearboxes installed in explosive atmospheres be designed and certified to prevent ignition sources.

More in detail, in Europe, under ATEX, a non-electrical Ex product such as a gearbox cannot be considered compliant based solely on the manufacturer’s declaration. This is NOT sufficient. Unlike Category 3, Category 2 requires a MANDATORY deposit of a comprehensive technical file with a NOTIFIED BODY in accordance with Directive 2014/34/EU (e.g. this TÜV certificate https://www.motive.it/upload/documenti/manuali/Certificato_ATEX_Riduttori_TUV.PDF).

For IECEx compliance of a Category 2 Ex gearbox, a certification issued by a notified certification body is also mandatory.

Any “self-assessment” approach that avoids certification cannot avoid to overlook critical safety aspects, such as magnesium content in aluminum alloys, paint type and thickness, thermal behavior under load, and fault conditions of the gearbox, etc, that only the manufacturer and/or the certification body can analize.

Physics laws also apply: a gearbox can become a potential source of ignition (explosion or fire) if not properly assessed and certified.

In fact, a gearbox, even without electrical parts, can become an ignition source due to:

• HEATING caused by friction (gears, bearings, seals), oil agitation or poor lubrication.
• ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE caused by rotating parts, metals chemical composition, plastic parts, paint.
• MECHANICAL SPARKS from gears damage or bearing seizure

The safety of a motor‑gearbox assembly is determined by its weakest component. A certified EX motor combined with a non‑EX gearbox does not create an EX system, because the gearbox can still generate ignition sources.

We could say the same about the electronic drives, or electric power coolings, of course. This is why Motive has it all: Ex motors, Ex gearboxes, Ex power coolings and Ex drives