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.

Zero-Max Wind Turbine Couplings are now available as an upgrade replacement for existing wind turbines and for OEM applications. These couplings easily handle torque spikes and high misalignment installations. They have composite disk packs at both ends of a center spacer for strength and generous flexibility. The composite disk packs (flex elements) allow a surplus of parallel and axial misalignment while remaining torsionally stiff through all harmonic ranges of the wind turbine’s oscillating load.

Depending on the application, the center spacers can be machined out of steel, composite glass fiber, or 6061-T6 aluminum. Through the use of Finite Element Analysis (FEA), these center spacers can be engineered to withstand in excess of 100,000 Nm of torque.

These wind turbine couplings have many additional design advantages. The flex elements electrically insulate the turbine’s generator from the gear box, eliminating stray electrical current that can leak across the coupling, thus preventing bearing damage to the gear box. The coupling protects the generator by transferring lower reaction loads to the generator bearings. Also, the coupling’s composite material withstands all types of environmental elements, including temperature extremes from -40 to +70° C, and also moisture and chemicals native to the nacelles of wind turbines.

Zero-Max
www.zero-max.com

The FD89 – 2000 Series couplings meet ISO 16028 dimensional requirements. These stainless steel quick-disconnect/non-spill couplings feature standard anti-extrusion Teflon® seals and Viton® O-rings.

“FD89 couplings provide a globally interchangeable solution for a variety of applications that require both corrosion resistance and long product life,” explained Joseph E. Dzierwa, Eaton product manager, connectors.  “They’re machined from 316 stainless steel and conform dimensionally to ISO 16028, which is found in applications including snow plows, marine systems, on and offshore oil and gas rigs, chemical processing operations, clean rooms, and pharmaceutical manufacturing systems.”

The couplings are available in sizes -04, -06, -08, -10, -12, -16, -24, and -32 (1/4 in. to 2.0 in. – ISO 6.3, 10.0, 12.5, 16.0, 19.0, 25.0, 27.0, 31.5, and 40.0) with operating pressure ratings ranging from 150 to 350 bar (2,175 to 5,075 psi) depending on size. Fluid loss per connection ranges from 0.006 cc to 0.100 cc, again depending on size.

Eaton’s Hydraulics Group
www.eaton.com/hydraulics

Huco Dynatork has supplied its Multi-Beam coupler for use in a solar panel high-voltage capacitor manufactured by a Japanese consumer electronics company.

The flexible misalignment coupling is used to connect the drive from the gearbox to a lead screw and had to be able to resist any current leakage.

Flexible couplings are a critical component for applications involving potentially explosive materials found in automotive paint and cleaning stations, chemical plants, and powder mixing areas.  A lack of radially flexible elements in shaft linkage can result in high radial loads on shaft bearings, eventually leading to heat generation and bearing failure, making flexible shaft couplings essential to machine drive design in these cases.  Even more critical is that the potential for sparks must be eliminated.  For use in explosive environments R+W has developed a full range of ATEX certified “explosion proof” couplings in accordance with the European directives, ATEX 95 and ATEX 137.

These special couplings are precision machined with a thermally and chemically stable, wear resistant, polyurethane insert press fit between the two for zero backlash.  A smooth fit between the insert and the hubs helps the insert to compensate for lateral, angular and axial shaft misalignment.  The insert is impregnated with graphite, giving it electrically conductive properties, eliminating the potential for any charges arcing from one hub to the other.  Official serialized markings including the part number are required by the directive and are clearly visible on each unit.

These precision couplings are available in a variety of mounting configurations, and can include torque overload protection.  There are nine total sizes ranging from torque ratings of 2 – 2150 Nm (17 to 19,000 in-lbs).  Both English and metric bore diameters are available in a range from 3 – 80 mm (1/8 to 3.125 in.) with or without keyways.

R+W America
www.rw-america.com

Coup-Link is a full line of zero backlash flexible shaft couplings including Beam, Bellows, Jaw, Disc and Oldham.  All are available in a variety of mounting options including set screw, keyway, clamp, conical and shrink disc configurations.

Beam, Disc, Jaw, Bellow, Encoder and Oldham couplings

Motors, reducers, encoders, shafts and other rigid elements often fail prematurely. Many times this is from misalignment, which often leads to bearing, shaft or seal failure. Zero backlash, flexible shaft couplings  accommodate parallel and angular misalignment and shaft endplay.

Properly selecting a Candy Coup-Link provides the flexibility to handle many types of misalignment and may offset problems such as minor design errors or improper assembly.

Candy Mfg. Co.
www.candycontrols.com

The GERWAH® line of products consists of magnetic couplings, metal bellows couplings, servo-insert couplings, line shafts, RING-flex® couplings and safety couplings. These couplings are available in a range of sizes and torque capacities to 3,800 lb-ft. The low mass of the lightweight construction helps increase machine performance and reduce energy costs.

Ringfeder Power Transmission USA Corporation markets a range of power transmission components and keyless shaft/hub technology.  Other power transmission products include shock absorbing devices, flexible elastomeric couplings, flexible disc couplings and torque limiters along with other specialty and custom made products.

RINGFEDER

www.ringfeder.com

The growing popularity of curved jaw (elastomer) style couplings for precision applications has driven the need for couplings that handle more than the traditional torque capacity of 2,150 Nm up to a maximum torque of 25,000 Nm.

Available with split clamping collars or keyway and set screw connections, the three new body sizes allow for backlash free, vibration damping power transmission, paired with strong torque density. Dual flexture and jack shaft versions are also available for spanning longer distances and compensating for larger misalignments. Unlike the pre-existing range of R+W elastomer couplings, which use a single spider element between the new hubs, the new larger sizes will use individual vibration damping compensation elements to fit between each mating set of coupling teeth. These couplings are available in English and metric bore diameters up to 170 mm.
R+W America
www.rw-america.com