SEW-EURODRIVE launches budget-friendly gear units for everyday factory robots
The German automation company has added three lower-cost planetary gear units to its PxG line, giving machine builders a way to stop over-engineering standard packaging and assembly machines.
Key points
- SEW-EURODRIVE introduced the PxG economy series in 2025, adding three new gear unit grades below its existing precision range.
- The new P1.G, P2.G and P3.G units cover peak torque ratings from 11 to 500 Newton metres across five sizes.
- Rated service life exceeds 20,000 hours, matching the longevity of the higher-precision models in the same family.
- Typical target machines include packaging lines, carton erectors, gantry robots and assembly equipment with low to medium mechanical demands.
Not every robot arm needs a sports-car gearbox. That is the core idea behind SEW-EURODRIVE's new PxG economy series, a line of planetary gear units, the precision mechanical boxes that translate a motor's spinning shaft into controlled, torque-rich movement in factory machines.
The German automation company, headquartered in Bruchsal and founded in 1931, already sold the PxG family in high-precision grades (P5.G, P6.G and P7.G). The new P1.G, P2.G and P3.G grades sit below those, trading some precision for a lower price tag on machines that simply do not need the extra capability.
What actually changes between the three new grades?
Each grade handles a different level of mechanical stress. The P1.G suits standard tasks with modest side-loads. The P2.G steps up for applications where stronger radial forces (sideways pushes on the shaft) come into play. The P3.G uses straight-cut gears and heavier-duty bearings for the most demanding jobs in the economy bracket, while keeping costs within tighter project budgets.
All three are available in five physical sizes, one-stage or two-stage configurations, and rotational clearance (the tiny amount of play in the gears, measured in arcminutes) of 6 to 12 arcminutes. Food-grade lubrication options are on the list for makers of food and beverage equipment.
| Grade | Key strength | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| P1.G | Low side-loads | Standard assembly, light packaging |
| P2.G | Higher radial forces | Material handling, gantry axes |
| P3.G | Straight gearing + heavy bearings | Machine tool portals, carton erectors |
| P5-7.G (existing) | Full precision range | High-accuracy servo applications |
Why does this matter for machine builders?
Over-specifying a part costs money at every unit produced. Servo product manager Anecia Hoffield put it plainly: "Every automation application has different performance requirements. The PxG economy series gives machine builders more flexibility to select the performance their machines actually need."
By staying inside the same PxG modular platform, a design engineer can switch between the economy and precision grades without redesigning the mounting or shaft interfaces. The units also plug into SEW-EURODRIVE's existing selection tools, SEW-Workbench, DriveCAD and DriveConfigurator, so specifying the right size is a software exercise rather than a manual calculation.
What does this mean for ordinary factory operators?
If your plant buys packaging or assembly machines, the practical effect arrives quietly, through the next machine your supplier quotes you. Builders who use these units can offer competitive prices on mid-range automation without cutting corners on service life. SEW-EURODRIVE rates the economy series at more than 20,000 hours of operation, enough for several years of continuous use in most shift patterns.
SEW-EURODRIVE operates across more than 50 countries with 17 manufacturing plants, so sourcing and support should be accessible for most industrial buyers.
