Zambello gearbox repair — USA
Zala Machine Co. repairs, rebuilds and replaces Zambello extruder gearboxes for plants across the United States. The work is done in our own shop in Hillsborough, New Jersey, on single-screw and twin-screw boxes from lab-scale units to heavy-duty production gearboxes.
Martin Zala, who runs the shop, trained with Zambello at two of their locations in Italy. The training focused on twin-screw gearbox repair: how the boxes are built, how the gear trains are timed, and where they wear and fail. That knowledge comes back to our bench on every Zambello gearbox we open.
Plants come to us directly to repair, rebuild or replace Zambello gearboxes. Most of the Zambello gearboxes repaired in this country come across our bench. We evaluate the box, tell you whether repair or replacement is the better answer, and carry out either one.
Not every gearbox is worth rebuilding. When a repair makes sense, we repair it. When it does not, we supply a new Zambello gearbox and make it fit the line you already have. A new box rarely drops straight into an old footprint, so we machine the gearbox-to-extruder adapter, build floor risers that bolt to the existing floor mounts, and make any other modifications needed to bring the new gearbox to the right height, position and alignment. The line keeps its frame and extruder, and only the gearbox changes.
Gear blanks, shafts, housings and adapters are machined in house, and our gear-cutting partner cuts the teeth. Worn housing bores are restored by line boring on our own equipment. If a component is no longer available, we measure the worn one and make a new one from it, the same way we handle reverse engineering on any other part.
Single-screw extruder gearbox after its overhaul, restored and repainted.
Twin-screw gearbox opened for inspection, gear train and bearings in the housing.
Gear train reassembled and re-timed before the case is closed.
Inspection, housing bore repair and a finished rebuild from our shop. More photos and videos are in our gallery.
Send us the nameplate, photos and a description of the fault, and we take it from there.
Call or email us with the nameplate, photos and a description of the fault.
The gearbox is shipped to our shop in Hillsborough, New Jersey.
The box is cleaned, stripped and measured. Gears, bearings, shafts, seals and housing bores are checked, and we report whether a repair or a new Zambello is the better answer.
Housing bores are line bored, worn parts are restored or made new, and modifications are machined. For a replacement, we supply the new Zambello and machine the adapter, floor risers or other modifications it needs to fit the line.
The box goes back together to its clearances. On twin-screws the gear train is re-timed, and runout, tooth contact and backlash are checked before the case is closed.
A blown film producer in California had an extruder gearbox that could no longer be supported. There were no parts and no replacement from the original maker, and the whole line was built around it.
A new Zambello heavy-duty single-screw gearbox replaced it, and we made everything it needed to fit the existing line. We machined a new gearbox-to-extruder adapter to connect the Zambello box to the extruder. We built floor risers that bolt to the existing floor mounts and carry the new gearbox at the right height and position. The customer kept the line and the extruder, and changed only the gearbox.
We take the same approach on any replacement. When a new Zambello does not fit the old footprint, we make the adapters, risers and modifications that let it fit.
Bearings and seals — 1 to 2 weeks.
A full rebuild — 6 to 10 weeks.
If gears have to be cut new, the job can run longer, and we tell you that when we quote rather than when it is late. If your line is down, say so on the call — see emergency machining.
The work that happens here, and the one step that goes to a partner.
| Gearbox types | Zambello single-screw and twin-screw extruder gearboxes, lab-scale to heavy-duty production |
| Housing line boring | in house, to 20″ diameter over roughly 50″ |
| Lifting | to 10 tons |
| Made in house | gear blanks, shafts, housings, adapters and mounting plates |
| Gear teeth | cut by our gear-cutting partner from blanks machined here |
| Checks on reassembly | runout, tooth contact and backlash, among others |
| Turnaround | bearings and seals 1 to 2 weeks; a full rebuild 6 to 10 weeks |
| Replacement | new Zambello gearboxes, with adapters, floor risers and modifications machined to fit the existing line |
Yes. Twin-screw repair was the focus of Martin Zala’s training with Zambello in Italy. Shaft alignment and gear timing are checked and reset as the box goes back together.
Email the nameplate and photos to sales@zalamachine.com or use the quote form. We review it, and the gearbox is shipped to our shop for evaluation.
We repair it when a repair makes sense. When it does not, we supply a new Zambello gearbox and machine whatever it needs to fit your existing line.
Yes. We machine the gearbox-to-extruder adapter, build floor risers that bolt to the existing floor mounts, and make any other modifications needed to set the new box at the right height, position and alignment. The line keeps its frame and extruder.
Bearings and seals take 1 to 2 weeks. A full rebuild takes 6 to 10 weeks. It runs longer only if gears have to be cut new, and we say so when we quote.
Runout, how the gears interact and their tooth contact, and backlash, among others. On twin-screws the gear train is re-timed and checked again before the case is closed.
Yes. We repair single-screw and twin-screw extruder gearboxes of other makes, and gear reducers and industrial gearboxes of every type. See extruder gearbox repair and industrial gearbox repair.
The gearbox is one part of the drive. These are the services around it.
Email photos and the nameplate to sales@zalamachine.com or use the quote form. For other makes see extruder gearbox repair, and for the rest of our gearbox work see industrial gearbox repair.
