The installation position (mounting position) of a geared motor is the information that tells you in which orientation the drive may safely operate and how, among other things, lubrication should be arranged for that particular position. The quickest way to check it, without any disassembly, is from the manufacturer's markings.
- Check the name plate of the geared motor/gear unit – the installation position is often given as a designation such as M1–M6 (e.g. M5).
- Compare the designation with the manufacturer's documentation – the NORD manual "Geared motors and gear units – B1000" contains, in section 7.1, drawings of the design types and mounting positions, which allow you to unambiguously match the installation position to your installation.
If the marking on the name plate is illegible, missing, or the drive has been modified, SPEC SERWIS can help identify the installation position and provide advisory support in contacting NORD – so as to select the right solution for your application and working conditions.
Why is this information important?
The mounting position (installation position) is a defined orientation relative to gravity in which the geared motor should be mounted and operated – that is, how the housing and shafts are arranged (horizontally/vertically) and where the "top" and "bottom" of the gear unit are.
- lubrication/oil level: in different positions the oil settles differently; the manufacturer selects the recommended level, viscosity and sometimes the type of lubrication for a given orientation,
- breather and plugs (fill/drain/level): depending on the position, different plugs need to be "at the top" (venting) and "at the bottom" (drain) for servicing to be carried out correctly,
- durability of seals and bearings: the load and working conditions of the components change (e.g. vertical vs horizontal operation).
In practice, manufacturers mark mounting positions with symbols (often a letter and a number, e.g. M1–M6 for NORD, or B.3-B.7 for other manufacturers) and assign a specific shaft and plug/breather arrangement to each one. If you need it, we can provide a simple "cheat sheet" on how to recognise a typical position from whether the shaft is vertical or horizontal and where the breather is located.
How to identify the mounting position of a geared motor?
Note: for a reliable measurement, it is best to use the help of an expert.
1) First, name the orientation (that's already half the job)
Check 3 things:
- Direction of the OUTPUT SHAFT axis (the one that drives the machine): is it horizontal or vertical?
- Where the "top" of the gear unit is (i.e. which wall of the housing is highest once mounted)?
- Where the motor is relative to the gear unit (above, at the side, underneath) – applicable to a geared motor.
The simplest breakdown:
- Horizontal output shaft → a typical "horizontal" arrangement.
- Vertical output shaft (facing down or up) → a "vertical" arrangement.
2) The plug rule: the breather is always at the top
In our experience, this is the most reliable measure.
- The breather/vent plug (often a small plug with a hole or valve) should be at the highest point of the oil chamber.
- The drain plug is usually at the lowest point.
- The oil level check plug is usually on the side, at the height of the required oil level (roughly "halfway" up the oil zone, depending on the design).
If you notice that the breather is "on the side" or "at the bottom", it often means that:
- someone has not relocated the plugs for this position, or
- the gear unit has a different venting arrangement, or
- it is not a breather at all (it is sometimes mistaken for the check plug).
3) Quick identification from appearance alone (without markings)
- Horizontal output shaft (the most common)
- The gear unit stands on feet or is flange-mounted.
- The "top" of the housing is the surface on which the breather is usually located.
- The variants differ mainly in whether the motor is "above", "at the side" or "below" the gear unit.
- Vertical output shaft (facing down / up)
- The gear unit is usually "stood up" like a column.
- The breather almost always ends up on the top cover.
- In these positions, manufacturers often require different oil levels / additional recommendations (because oil splash behaves differently).
4) Mini photo checklist (what to photograph so we don't have to guess)
If you want to be certain, 3 photos are enough:
- The name plate (sometimes it shows M1–M6 for NORD products, or "mounting position").
- A view of the whole geared motor from the side (so that the shaft direction and the motor's position are visible).
- A close-up of the plugs (top/side/bottom of the housing) – this best shows the breather.
5) The shortest rule to remember
If you only have 10 seconds:
- mounting position = how the gear unit stands relative to gravity,
- the breather should always be at the top,
- the drain at the bottom,
- the output shaft tells you whether the arrangement is "horizontal" or "vertical".