EP-WPA Single Speed Reducer-0.13 to 9 L Oil Capacity

The EP-WPA series is a single stage right-angle worm-gear speed reducer designed for applications that require smooth torque transmission, compact installation space, and consistent performance over extended duty cycles. Available in frame sizes from 40 to 250 mm center distance, with oil capacities ranging from 0.13 L to 9.0 L, this series provides system designers with a highly scalable single speed gear reducer platform suitable for conveyors, packaging lines, material handling systems, and general industrial machinery.

Each unit in the WPA lineup follows a standard right-angle input/output shaft configuration, with multiple shaft orientation options (A through E) allowing integration flexibility across different machine layouts. The worm and worm wheel pairing delivers self-locking characteristics at low ratios, which adds a passive safety benefit in vertical-drive or hold-load applications. With gear ratios spanning 1/5 through 1/60, the EP-WPA covers a practical speed reduction range suited to the majority of motor-driven industrial setups.

Categoria: Single Speed Reducer

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EP-WPA Single Speed Reducer — 0.13 to 9 L Oil Capacity Series

A precision-engineered single speed reducer built for demanding industrial drive applications. Every single speed reducer in this series delivers reliable worm gear speed reduction across a wide range of frame sizes, ratios, and shaft configurations — offering long service life, compact design, and quiet operation.

Technical Specifications — EP-WPA Series

The table below lists the full dimensional and capacity data for the EP-WPA single stage speed reducer series of the single speed reducer family. All external dimensions are in millimeters (mm); oil capacity in liters (L); weight in kilograms (kg). On mobile devices, scroll horizontally to view all columns.

Size	Ratio	A	AB	B	BB	CC	H	HL	M	N	E	F	G	Z	HS	U	T×V	LS	S	W×Y	Weight (kg)	Oil (L)
40	—	143	87	114	74	40	138	40	90	100	70	80	13	10	25	12	4×2.5	28	14	5×3	4	0.13
50	—	175	108	150	97	50	176	50	120	140	95	110	15	12	30	12	4×2.5	40	17	5×3	7	0.17
60	1/5	198	120	168	112	60	204	60	130	150	105	120	20	12	40	15	5×3	50	22	7×4	10	0.22
70	1/10	231	140	194	131	70	236	70	150	190	115	150	20	15	40	18	6×3	60	28	7×4	15	0.60
80	1/15	261	160	214	142	80	268	80	170	220	135	180	20	15	50	22	7×4	65	32	10×4.5	20	0.85
100	1/20	322	190	254	169	100	336	100	190	270	155	220	25	15	50	25	7×4	75	38	10×4.5	35	1.50
120	1/25	371	219	282	190	120	430	120	230	320	180	260	30	18	65	30	7×4	85	45	12×4.5	60	3.20
135	1/30	422	249	317	210	135	480	135	250	350	200	290	30	18	75	35	10×4.5	95	55	16×6	80	3.60
147	1/40	432	255	320	210	147	460	123	253	350	200	280	32	18	75	35	10×4.5	95	55	16×6	98	3.70
155	1/50	497	295	382	252	155	531	135	275	390	220	320	35	21	85	40	12×5	110	60	18×7	110	3.80
175	1/60	534	314	388	255	175	600	160	310	430	250	350	40	21	85	45	14×5.5	110	65	18×7	150	4.60
200	—	580	342	456	319	200	666	175	360	480	290	390	40	24	95	50	14×5.5	125	70	20×7.5	215	6.50
250	—	703	420	552	385	250	800	200	460	560	380	480	45	28	110	60	18×7	145	90	25×9	360	9.00

All dimensions in mm. Oil capacity in L. Weight in kg. Specifications subject to customization on request for any single speed reducer model.

superiortransmissioninc-products-EP-WPA Single Speed Reducer-0.13 to 9 L Oil Capacity Series-draft

Five Key Advantages of the EP-WPA Single Speed Reducer

① Wide Size Range

Frame sizes from 40 to 250 mm center distance cover light-duty conveyor drives through heavy industrial applications, giving engineers a scalable single speed gear reducer solution within a single product family. By standardizing on this single speed reducer, you avoid switching suppliers or adapting mounting interfaces.

② Multiple Shaft Directions

Five configurable shaft direction options (A, B, C, D, E) let installers match the single speed reducer transmission layout to the machine frame without complex couplings or right-angle adapters. This makes the single speed reducer highly adaptable, reducing assembly cost and potential misalignment points.

③ Broad Gear Ratio Selection

Ratios from 1/5 to 1/60 make this single speed reducer adaptable to a wide spectrum of output speed requirements — from relatively fast auxiliary drives at 1/5 down to slow-speed, high-torque actuation systems at 1/60 — all within the same housing series.

④ Self-Contained Oil Bath Lubrication

The sealed oil-bath design eliminates the need for external grease re-lubrication schedules. Precision-ground surfaces and carefully calculated oil volumes (0.13 L to 9.0 L by frame size) keep operating temperatures stable and gear surface wear minimal across continuous-duty cycles for this single speed reducer.

⑤ Direct Mounting Compatibility

Standard flanged foot-mount base with 4-bolt Z pattern allows direct motor coupling without custom adapters. The EP-WPA single speed reducer integrates cleanly with standard IEC-frame electric motors, reducing procurement complexity for system builders and OEM assemblers worldwide.

How the Single Speed Reducer Works

At the core of the EP-WPA single speed reducer is the interaction between a helical-threaded worm shaft and a bronze worm wheel. The worm shaft — coupled to the motor input — rotates around its horizontal axis and drives the worm wheel through continuous sliding and rolling contact along the tooth flanks. Because the gear ratio is determined by the ratio of worm wheel teeth to the worm's lead (number of thread starts), very high ratios can be achieved in a single mesh without requiring multi-stage gearing. This single stage right-angle worm-gear speed reducer design provides high torque. This is the fundamental advantage of a single speed reducer: compact packaging at high ratio.

The motion transfer is inherently smooth due to the oblique contact angle between worm and wheel, which distributes load across multiple tooth contacts simultaneously. This characteristic reduces vibration and operating noise compared to spur or helical gear pairs, making the WPA series a preferred single speed reducer in noise-sensitive environments such as food processing lines, textile machinery, and automated assembly equipment. The right-angle shaft arrangement allows a 90° change in rotational axis direction within a single housing, saving space compared to inline reducer configurations.

Oil-bath lubrication keeps the gear mesh continuously wetted, carrying away heat generated by sliding friction at the worm contact zone. The oil volume for each frame size is factory-specified to ensure the worm is adequately submerged at rest yet does not over-fill the housing, which would create churning losses. This balance is one reason EP-WPA single speed reducer units run cooler and more efficiently than generic replacement reducers on the market.

worm gear speed reducer working principle

Materials & Construction Quality

Material selection in the EP-WPA single speed reducer directly governs service life, load capacity, and thermal performance. The housing is precision cast from high-grade grey cast iron, chosen for its excellent vibration damping, dimensional stability under fluctuating thermal cycles, and machinability. For demanding applications requiring elevated structural integrity, ductile iron housing is available on select frame sizes, providing significantly improved impact and shock load resistance without increasing housing weight proportionally.

The worm shaft is manufactured from 20CrMnTi alloy steel, carburized and case-hardened to achieve a surface hardness typically in the HRC 58–62 range while retaining a tough, ductile core. This combination resists pitting and scuffing fatigue that shortens service life in high-cycle or intermittent-shock loading conditions. The mating worm wheel is produced from centrifugal-cast phosphor bronze (CuSn10P), a material selected specifically for its low friction coefficient against hardened steel, excellent conformability under running-in loads, and thermal conductivity — all critical in a single speed reducer where sliding contact generates continuous heat at the mesh interface.

Bearing positions use deep groove ball bearings or taper roller bearings (depending on frame size and load direction) selected to handle the combined radial and axial thrust loads inherent in worm drive geometry. Output shaft sealing is achieved with lip-type radial shaft seals rated for continuous service in oil splash environments, maintaining leak-free operation across the full temperature range typical of industrial single speed reducer applications.

precision machining single speed reducer components

Application Scenarios

The EP-WPA single speed reducer is designed to fit directly into a wide range of power transmission layouts where right-angle shaft routing, moderate-to-high gear ratios, and compact envelope are required. Below are the primary application segments where this series performs reliably.

Conveyor & Material Handling

Belt conveyors, roller conveyors, and chain-driven transfer systems in warehousing, distribution, and manufacturing plants rely on the stable low-speed, high-torque output of a single speed reducer. The self-locking tendency at higher ratios adds a secondary safety benefit when loaded conveyors must hold position during emergency stops.

Packaging Machinery

Filling, capping, labeling, and wrapping equipment depends on precise, repeatable output speeds with minimal backlash and vibration. The smooth meshing characteristics of the WPA single speed reducer translate directly into product quality by eliminating jitter in indexing and positioning mechanisms common in packaging lines.

Food & Beverage Processing

Mixer drives, auger feeders, and agitator shafts in food processing require sealed, hygienic, and corrosion-aware gearbox designs. EP-WPA single speed reducer units with food-grade lubricant fill can be specified for applications where incidental lubricant contact with product is a regulatory concern — common in Australian, UK, and EU food plant environments.

Agricultural Equipment

Grain auger drives, seeder metering mechanisms, and irrigation pivot gearboxes frequently use worm gear reducers due to their ability to deliver large output torque from small input motors in space-constrained machinery frames. A durable single speed reducer handles the cyclic and intermittent loading profiles typical of field equipment reliably across seasonal operating cycles.

Gate & Door Actuators

Industrial gate drives, overhead door openers, and barrier systems use the inherent self-locking property of high-ratio worm pairs to hold position without braking power. A single speed gear reducer in this application eliminates the need for a separate holding brake. Utilizing a single speed reducer reduces system cost and potential failure points.

Textile & Printing Machinery

Warp beam drives, fabric tensioning rolls, and printing cylinder drives require ultra-smooth torque delivery at carefully controlled output speeds. The low-noise, low-vibration characteristics of the EP-WPA single speed reducer make it a preferred choice in textile mills and printing facilities where mechanical noise contributes directly to operator fatigue and product consistency issues.

About the Manufacturer

With more than a decade of focused experience in mechanical power transmission, our engineering and production team has built deep expertise across the full spectrum of industrial drive components. Our product range spans agricultural gearboxes, single speed reducer units, planetary gear drives, power take-off shafts, hydraulic cylinders, gears, chains, and motors — all developed and produced within our own manufacturing facility. This breadth of in-house capability means we can support OEM and system integrators with matched component sets rather than isolated products.

Our facility holds ISO 9001:2015 certification, and quality control runs from incoming raw material verification through gear profile inspection, assembly torque checks, and final oil-fill testing before dispatch. Every single speed reducer is fully tested to guarantee performance. We produce a wide range of standard and non-standard industrial and agricultural gearboxes and assemblies using materials including ductile iron, cast iron, cast steel, precision cast steel, and cast aluminum. Gears, sprockets, worm gears, pulleys, worms, shafts, and other precision mechanical components are also manufactured in-house, allowing us to maintain tolerance and finish quality across mating parts.

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Related Products

The EP-WPA single speed reducer is designed for seamless integration with matched drive components from our catalogue. Pairing it with the right motor or a compatible gearbox from our full range simplifies procurement and ensures optimized system performance from a single supply source.

Electric Motors

Our standard-frame electric motors are dimensionally matched to bolt directly onto the EP-WPA single speed reducer input flange, eliminating the need for intermediate adapters. Single-phase and three-phase models covering the torque range required by WPA sizes 40 through 250 are available, letting you specify a complete single speed reducer transmission package from a single source.

Full Worm Gearbox Range

Beyond the WPA single speed reducer model, our full worm gearbox series includes NMRV, WPS, WPO, WPX, and other configuration types covering hollow shaft, flange mount, and motor-coupled designs. Whether you need an NMRV worm reducer, a premium worm reducer, or a high-torque worm gearbox for a demanding industrial application, our range provides complete coverage with consistent quality standards across all variants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is a single speed gear reducer and how does it differ from a multi-stage gearbox used in heavy industrial conveyor drives?

A reduction gear achieves the target output speed in one gear mesh stage — in the case of a worm type, through a single worm-and-wheel pair. Multi-stage gearboxes cascade two or more meshes in series to reach very high ratios. The advantage of a single stage speed reducer is its smaller physical footprint compared to a standard multi-stage gearbox, while keeping all the core attributes of a rugged single speed reducer. Multi-stage designs are better suited to ratios beyond 1/60 where power efficiency across multiple meshes is a design priority.

Q2. Which gear ratio in the EP-WPA series is best for a slow-speed packaging line motor drive in a UK food manufacturing facility?

For a packaging line requiring a very low output speed with high output torque from a standard 4-pole motor (approximately 1400 rpm input), ratios in the 1/40 to 1/60 range — available in WPA sizes 147 through 175 — are typically the right fit. The 1/50 ratio on the WPA 155 is particularly popular in UK packaging OEM applications because it delivers a stable 28 rpm output and is compact enough for standard machine frame integration.

Q3. How do I properly install and orient a WPA single speed reducer on a horizontal motor shaft for an Australian agricultural conveyor?

Start by confirming your shaft direction requirement matches one of the five single speed reducer options (A through E). For horizontal motor input and horizontal output in the same plane, orientation A is standard. Ensure the oil fill level plug is on the correct side for the chosen mounting position — the WPA housing is designed so that correct orientation maintains the oil bath at the worm mesh point. Torque arm or foot-mount bolting should use M-series fasteners to the specified tightening torque for the frame size. Refer to the shaft key dimensions (W×Y) in the specification table when machining the motor coupling.

Q4. What are the main disadvantages of a single speed reducer compared to helical gear reducers in high-duty-cycle industrial applications?

The primary disadvantage of a single speed reducer is lower mechanical efficiency relative to helical or spur gear types, particularly at higher ratios where the worm lead angle is shallow. Efficiency in the 1/40–1/60 range typically falls in the 60–75% band, compared to 95%+ for a single-stage helical gear. This means more input power is converted to heat rather than useful output torque. For continuous-duty, high-power applications this can be a significant running cost factor. However, for intermittent or moderate-duty cycles, the compactness and self-locking benefits of a single speed reducer often outweigh the efficiency difference.

Q5. Can the EP-WPA single speed reducer be customized with a hollow output shaft or flange mount for a Canadian material handling OEM build?

Yes. As a direct manufacturing source, we support customized single speed reducer configurations including hollow output bore, extended shafts, flange-mounted output faces, and modified mounting foot patterns. For Canadian OEM material handling builds, common customizations include metric-to-inch shaft bore conversion and modified keyway dimensions to suit local shaft standards. Contact our engineering team with your duty cycle data, required output torque, and spatial constraints, and we will specify the appropriate WPA single speed reducer frame size and configuration.

Editor: PXY