A new series of the CD® Coupling – Series A1C high performance CD® couplings features high torsional stiffness and high dynamic load capacity. These couplings provide precise positioning under high speed reversing loads without fatigue for reliable 24/7 operation. In addition, they are excellent for reversing loads and provide smooth operation at high speeds. The design is compact to allow for a smaller assembly – enabling a smaller machine footprint.

Improved clamp style hubs handle larger shafts and higher torque. Shafts have increased clamping strength, eliminating the need for keyways for a cleaner, better balanced design.

All CD A1C components are made of premium materials:

• Precision machined hubs are made from ISO grade 7075-T6 aluminum.

• Hubs are black anodized to MIL-A-8625 Type 2, Class 2 finish.

• Recessed fasteners are ISO 4762 grade 12.9 socket head cap screws.

• Unique, composite disc made of high precision composite material that is manufactured to strict aerospace and Six Sigma practices. This material has excellent chemical and moisture resistance.

• All components tested with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software for perfect balance.

• Eco-friendly materials with no banned substances according to RoHS directive.

These couplings are precise, robust and available in six sizes. Torque capacities range from 40 Nm to 564 Nm with speed ratings from 6700 RPM to 15,000 RPM depending on model.

Zero-Max
www.zero-max.com

ServoClass Couplings feature high torsional stiffness, zero backlash and low hysteresis to ensure repeatable precise positioning at speeds up to 10,000 rpm. Their robust design ensures precise system operation in automated 24/7 applications. That is especially true where stresses occur at increased speeds in a servo system. Designed with 304 stainless steel disc packs and 7075-T6 aluminum hubs, the couplings are inherently strong, durable and precisely balanced. To ensure precise alignment of the assembled components, ISO 4762 CL12.9 corrosion resistant socket head cap screws are used with a carefully controlled assembly process. The couplings are available in single and double flex models in inch and metric bore sizes from 0.157 in. (4mm) to 1.750 in. (45mm). All models and sizes feature clamp style hubs and operate in temperatures from -22° to +212° F (-30° to +100° C).

Zero-Max
www.zero-max.com

T.E.A. Machine Components (www.teausa.net) has announced that it has expanded its product range with the addition of the permanent magnet couplings, comprising opposing discs equipped with strong rare earth magnets.

The torque from the drive disc is transferred automatically to the other disc via the air gap. With no actual contact, these highly efficient magnetic couplings effectively eliminates wear, reducing vibration and providing silent operation, allowing for misalignment as well as torque transfer through walls.

Removing the need for seals, the magnetic couplings also eliminate the risk of contaminating one media to the other.

With respect to misalignment, the permanent magnetic couplings deliver up to 3° angular error, while achieving a parallel offset of up to six mm and retaining almost 100 percent of torque transmission.

Customers will also benefit in the couplings’ double purpose as a slip/safety clutch.

This means that when torque exceeded its limits, the magnets automatically slip, protecting personnel and equipment without wear on the heat generation or the coupling. The slip torque of the couplings can be fine tuned simply by adjusting the distance of the hub.

The magnetic couplings are suitable for use in driving ventilators or compressors in closed containers, driving a submerged stirrer/agitator or pump from the outside of the tank, rotary indication in isolation, underwater torque transmission to robotic arms or propellers, variable slip torque as well as replacement of usual slip clutches and simplification of driveline.

The OEP type UA Oldham/Universal coupling differs from other versions of the Oldham/Universal coupling (UC and UI) in that its midsection is machined from metal bar, the same alloy as the hubs. The UA is a strong, stiff, robust coupling, and can easily be configured for larger or non-standard sizes.

A Delrin© (or higher temperature plastic) replaceable wear bushing between the cylindrical fins on the hub and the cylindrical slots in the midsection provide smooth, low-friction, low-reactive-force flexion with zero backlash. These wear bushings include very small holes that serve as a grease reservoir. The placement of the bushings mounted within a machined metal midsection, enable the coupling to transmit great amounts of torque.

These couplings protect support bearings by exerting consistently low reactive forces, even under large misalignments. They accommodate large radial misalignment in a short length.

OEP Couplings, a division of Oren Elliott Products, Inc. ※※※
www.oepcoupling.com

If you are looking for a cold-install hub that provides the secure torque transmission and balance repeatability of an interference fit, check out the Torsiflex-i flexible disc couplings. Developed for API 610 service, these couplings feature a robust disc pack design, allowing for greater torque load in a smaller, lower weight size. Max bores matched to NEMA motor shafts provide up to a 60% weight savings. A plug-in spacer design allows installation and removal without disturbing the hubs. All models are ATEX compliant and come standard with a zinc phosphate coating, a built-in anti-flail feature, and inch series hub attachment screws (metric available).

These couplings are now available with Torsi-Lock® Hubs, which offer the ease of a slip fit with the power of a shrink fit.

Cold installation of Torsiflex-i couplings with Torsi-Lock Hubs means no hot work permits, providing added safety and productivity in hazardous environments.

Torsi-Lock hubs provide easy, repeatable removal and installation, and eliminate fretting of hub to shaft. The hubs compensate for variances in shaft spacing – units can be slipped on and fixed in the needed location. The Hub and locking device are balanced and match-marked to assure optimum balance performance.

Ameridrives Couplings
www.ameridrives.com

Thomas & Betts Corporation (www.tnb.com), a world leader in the manufacture, design and marketing of electrical components for construction, industrial and utility markets, has introduced the T&B Fitting XD Expansion/Deflection Coupling, which supports thermal expansion and movement in conduit runs to deliver a watertight and flexible connection.

The new coupling features a protective stainless-steel inner sleeve that makes wire installation easier, while its Erickson conduit union reduces installation effort and time. Supporting up to three-quarter inch of axial or parallel movement, the T&B Fitting XD Expansion/Deflection Coupling also accommodates up to 30 degrees of angular movement from normal position.

“The stainless-steel inner sleeve used in the T&B® Fitting XD Expansion/Deflection Coupling is far more durable than the conventional plastic tubes or corrugated hose found in other couplings of this kind,” said Bogdan Diaconescu, Product Manager for Thomas & Betts.

“It also provides better protection and easier wire pulling,” he added.

Specifically designed for rigid conduit, the T&B Fitting XD Expansion/Deflection Coupling features copper ground mounting plates that have been enclosed and secured with tamperproof jacket straps. It is made of stainless steel to impede vandalism and theft. The coupling also comes with ductile cast iron dual-layer hubs that have been coated with aluminum acrylic paint and zinc plated to protect it against corrosion.

CSA Certified to C22.2 No. 18.3, the new coupling is also UL Listed to UL 514B, making it ideal for wet locations. It is also NEC Article 250.98 compliant and is watertight pursuant to NEMA 4.

VULKAN Couplings (www.vulkan.com) is all geared to launch the VULKARDAN G 84 Couplings at the Koremarine in Busan on 26 to 29 October 2011. Specifically designed for electric motors and generator drives in the medium power range, VULKARDAN G 84 supplements the company’s VULKARDAN G product range, which has been released for marine drive components to cater for a higher torque range of up to 63 kNm.

Developed for generator applications and modern auxiliary drives, the flexible VULKARDAN G series feature couplings in sizes ranging from 54 to 62 with a 25 kNm nominal torque. These couplings were developed for free-standing systems and allow the elastomer to be extended without fear of displacing the connected units. With the offered torsional stiffness, the system’s torsional vibration is optimized, limiting damaging resonances in the operating speed and preventing impact on the motor control.

The VULKARDAN G 84 enables the membrane to absorb the axial vibration produced during the engine’s operation, freeing the connected generator from axial vibrations and providing a positive effect on the generator bearing’s service life.

Putting emphasis on backlash-free torque transmission, the VULKARDAN G 84 with up to 63 kNm nominal torque has been introduced in response to the growing demand for economic generator couplings. It is suitable for non-SAE motors that feature rated power ranging between 3,000 kW and 4,500 kW. This result to proper transmission characteristics considering the controller stability offered when the VULKARDAN G 84 is loaded or unloaded. Moreover, the VULKARDAN G 84 features a coupling design that highly protects the system from overload. Its linear torsional stiffness allows safe design of the coupling based on the defined stiffness.

Ameriloc internal and external locking devices and shaft couplings are custom-engineered, manufactured, and tested to precise tolerances to meet specific customer requirements and provide years of trouble-free service.

Quality materials and state-of-the-art manufacturing processes ensure high reliability. Units eliminate the need for keyways, splines, or hydraulic hubs, allowing for unlimited shaft positioning. Installation and removal is easy using standard tools. Features include zero backlash, reduced shaft stress, and high contact pressure for greater torque. Tight contact prevents contamination in high dust and moisture environments.

Ameriloc locking devices are suited for use on test stands, printing presses, ski lifts, mining crushers, meat processing, drilling, milling, compressors, pulp & paper, cranes, fans, and steel mills.

All units are pre-assembled, ready to install. Torque range is from 25,000 to 4,303,675 ft-lb (34 to 5,835 kNm). A range of standard sizes is available with outer diameters from 12.5 to 53 in. (320 to 1,350 mm), and shaft diameters from 6.5 to 29.5 in. (165 to 750 mm). Additional sizes and custom designs are available upon request.

Ameridrives Couplings
www.ameriloc.com

These miniature rigid couplings handle a variety of medical device applications, including test and measurement systems, imaging, patient positioning, and liquid handling such as chromatography.

Rigid couplings are zero-backlash, torsionally stiff, and have high torque capacity. They should be used when shaft misalignment is neither present nor desired, with the rigid coupling often used to help establish the alignment. These couplings feature precision honed bores on straight bore couplings for improved fit and straightness as well as Nypatch treated hardware that resists loosening in vibratory conditions. Rigid couplings with bore sizes as small as 3 mm are available in carbon steel, high grade aluminum for low inertia and 303 stainless steel.

These couplings are RoHS and REACH compliant.

Ruland Manufacturing Co., Inc.
www.ruland.com

Extreme temperature ranges, high pollution levels, high vibration levels, and 24/7/365 operation call for engineered drive components which can take the abuse. Extending component maintenance intervals is a priority, since industrial gearboxes, electric motors, bearings, and drive shafts typically require at least partial disassembly and replacement of wear parts. A new solution involves zero maintenance, stainless steel bellows couplings for up to 100,000 Nm, engineered to run smoothly for decades.

One challenge in the development of the BX series was the design of the metal bellows itself. The bellows serves to alleviate misalignment loading between adjacent bearing sets while transmitting rotary power. Traditional sizing calculations were used at first, having proved successful for high speed servo drive systems, which tend to be some of the most demanding of the customary applications for bellows couplings. After a short time it became clear that a widely marketable high torque bellows coupling could not be designed without FEA, as the first installed models were two to three times larger than the final product design. As life testing later confirmed, the software revealed some errors in the initial interpretation of the sizing, demonstrating that the traditional methods did not scale properly. In collaboration with a major bellows hydroformer, R+W reviewed and updated these traditional bellows sizing methods to better reflect the realities of what the formed bellows can tolerate in this physical size range.

A special welded joint between the bellows, intermediate tubing, and mounting flanges was also selected, involving a combination of TIG (perfect root) and MAG (low heat generation). This welding method is a recent development of RWTH Aachen University IME, a world renowned leader in mechanical and electrical engineering research, and has demonstrated superior fatigue characteristics in vibration and life testing. With these two important features in place, hubs, flanges, and intermediate tubing, fabricated from high strength steel, were configured to round off the complete product line. R+W has been able to launch the all new “BX” series, with a variety of standard and custom mounting options available, and presently broken down into three specific series.

BX1 with Flange Mounting

The BX1 is the basic model from which the complete BX series is configured. Mounting flanges are welded directly to the bellows, which are then used for adaptation to shaft mounting systems in the cases of the BX4 and BX6. Power is therefore transmitted through the BX1 by means of a frictional flange connection. A common misconception is that the torque is transmitted through the bolts themselves. This can have two negative consequences in that the coupling would exhibit backlash, and that ultimately the bolts would fatigue and fracture. In case of reversing applications or those with frequent load variation this failure would occur within a very short amount of time. Basically torque ratings of flanges are calculated based on the pressure generated by the bolt circle arrangement, the diameter into which they have been arranged, and the coefficient of friction of the flange surfaces. A number of safety and application factors are normally added to ensure a pure high-pressure frictional connection results.

BX4 with Keyway Mounting

The BX4 is described as a low backlash coupling, which transmits torque purely though the form fit of a shaft key or spline. Some potential for backlash always exists due to the clearance required to fit the hub over the shaft. However reduced, this is even in the case of an interference fit, and especially in cases where only set screws are used for the axial retention of the hub. The main advantage of a keyway connection is the quick and easy installation and removal of the coupling hubs. In lieu of keyway connections, spline connections provide additional security and surface area contact with superior stress distribution characteristics. In consideration of some extra cost, this can be a good solution for a more compact design, as the necessary shaft engagement length can then be reduced. Generally speaking, the BX4 is well suited to unidirectional drive applications, which must accelerate, even to high speeds, and maintain those speeds for prolonged periods. Drive systems with shock loading, reversals, and high duty cycles are better served by the BX1 and BX6 designs.

BX6 with Conical Clamping Ring

The BX6 makes use of a high pressure, keyless, frictional clamping connection. The conical clamping ring system consists of two components: the clamping ring and the hub. The clamping ring is drawn over a slotted tapered section of the hub by means of a set of fastening bolts. Sliding the two tapered surfaces against one another creates a high level of surface pressure in the vertical direction, compressing onto the cylindrical shaft. The resulting contact force eliminates the need for keyways and is suitable for transmitting extremely high torque levels depending on the diameter of the shaft. Since the BX6 has many planes of symmetry across its length, it is also well suited to very high rotational speeds, as a result of the low residual imbalance.

Variable Length with Internal Support

The intermediate section of the BX series consists of high strength steel tubing with adapter flanges common to the full product line. The length of the intermediate tubing section can be specified according to customer requirements and interchanged for machinery modifications as needed. The adapter flanges are made with a gimbal system which extends through the inside of the bellows and engages a concave receptacle on the opposite side. This support system causes the entire mass of the intermediate section to be carried by the shafting rather than the flexible bellows. It also serves as a safety feature in the event of a machine crash. Should the bellows or its connection be caused to fail by extreme overload, the tubing would still not be allowed to escape from the hubs, eliminating the need for coupling guards in some cases. This safety feature does not exist in flex disc or universal drive shaft products.

Summary and Outlook

The all new “BX” series offers standard torque ratings of up to 100,000 Nm and bore diameters of up to 280 mm. This technology provides a viable alternative to steel disc couplings, with improved torsional stiffness, balance, and safety features. Flexible design configurations allow for the BX to be made to suit applications with specialized flanges, hubs, materials and surface treatments for even the harshest of environments. The internal support system provides for a high degree of security unavailable in other similar types of couplings. The symmetrical design of the series BX1 and BX6 allows for an optimal balance quality in highly dynamic drive systems and test stands, with ISO Grade 2.5 certification available upon request.

The principle of the formed metal bellows as an equalizing element offers many unique performance advantages for today’s advanced drive technology. Designs capable of transmitting up to 2,000,000 Nm are currently in development.

R+W America
www.rw-america.com