Overview
The Lafert stainless steel AC motor range is purpose-built for industries where hygiene, cleanliness and equipment durability are non-negotiable. Manufactured from AISI 304 (IP67) or AISI 316L (IP69K) grade stainless steel, these motors are engineered to withstand the most aggressive wash-down procedures — including high-pressure hot water jets and chemical cleaning solutions — while maintaining full operational integrity.
What sets this range apart from conventional motors is the complete absence of through bolts and endshield screws on the outer body. The result is an entirely smooth exterior surface with no recesses, joints or fastener heads where food particles, bacteria or contaminants can accumulate. This hygienic design principle makes the motor easy to clean and dramatically reduces the risk of product contamination and unplanned downtime in sensitive production environments.
The range covers outputs from 0.18 kW through to 11 kW in standard IEC metric frame sizes from 63 to 160L, available in both 4 pole and 6 pole configurations with IE2 efficiency ratings.
Key Features
The motor’s sealed construction is central to its performance in wash-down environments. The IP69K rating on 316L models confirms the motor can endure close-range, high-pressure steam and water jets at temperatures up to 80 °C — the standard cleaning regime in food and beverage, meat processing and pharmaceutical facilities. IP67 rated 304 grade models provide full immersion protection for applications where chemical resistance requirements are less demanding.
A slip-on flange design allows the motor to be converted between B3 foot mount, B5 flange mount and B14 face mount configurations without compromising the integrity of the motor’s seals. This flexibility simplifies stockholding and speeds up installation across different machine platforms. Motors can also be supplied in TENV construction with no fan or fan cowl for environments where a completely smooth profile is required, or in TEFC construction with a stainless steel fan cowl where additional cooling capacity is needed.
The range is built to IEC dimensional standards, making it a direct drop-in replacement for any standard metric motor. Models can also be supplied to SEW, NEMA and B56 specifications for compatibility with existing drive systems.
Stainless Steel Worm Gearboxes
Lafert also manufactures a complementary range of IP69K rated stainless steel worm gearboxes in AISI 316L. These gearboxes feature twin Viton seals with stainless steel shields, removable hollow output shafts with keyways, O-ring sealed covers, and mounting holes on both sides of the housing for universal installation.
The gearbox range spans sizes I30, I45, I50, I63, I85 and I111, covering output torques from 21 Nm up to 651 Nm. All units are supplied with synthetic long-life lubrication and are interchangeable with common worm gearbox platforms. An inline prestage gearbox option extends the available ratio range for applications requiring very low output speeds.
Common Applications
These motors and gearboxes are widely used across food and beverage manufacturing, meat and poultry processing, dairy production, bakery and confectionery lines, seafood handling, pharmaceutical production, cosmetics manufacturing, chemical processing, brewery and winery operations, and offshore or marine installations. In each of these sectors, the ability to hose down equipment with aggressive cleaning agents — without removing or protecting the motor — eliminates a significant source of production delay and contamination risk.
For poultry processing in particular, where daily high-pressure wash-down is standard practice and conventional motors frequently fail from moisture ingress, the Lafert stainless steel range offers a step-change in reliability and motor service life.
Selection Considerations
When specifying a stainless steel motor, confirm the required material grade based on the chemical exposure profile of your cleaning regime. AISI 316L is recommended wherever chlorinated cleaners, caustic solutions or acidic wash-down chemicals are used, as 316L provides superior corrosion resistance compared to 304 grade. Consider whether TENV or TEFC cooling is more appropriate for the duty cycle and ambient conditions, keeping in mind that TENV motors may need to be derated for continuous heavy-duty operation in high ambient temperatures.
For applications requiring a complete wash-down drive solution, pairing a stainless steel motor with a matching Lafert stainless steel worm gearbox eliminates the weak link that a conventional alloy or cast iron gearbox would otherwise introduce into the system.
Support And Enquiries
Motordrives Australia supplies the Lafert stainless steel motor and gearbox range across Australia. Our team can assist with motor sizing, gearbox ratio selection, mounting configuration, material grade advice and delivery scheduling. For technical guidance or a formal quotation, contact us with your application details and operating environment.
