Special Couplings for High Voltage Application

To meet the specific motion control needs of high voltage systems Huco Dynatork is exporting its expertise to Japan.  Its customer specialises in the design and manufacture of high voltage capacitors, one application for which is in an electronic assembly for plasma screens.  A miniature misalignment coupling is also part of this assembly but because standard materials of manufacture are unsuitable for this high voltage application the capacitor manufacturer turned to Huco Dynatork in the UK for a solution.

As one of Europe’s largest specialists in motion control technology Huco Dynatork is often asked to provide solutions to specific problems.  The answer for this particular application was to machine the required couplings in a non-standard, high dielectric constant material to prevent voltage leakage across the drive.

Victrex PEEK™ proved ideal for the job. The polymer is characterised by excellent mechanical properties maintained to high temperatures. As well as excellent electrical, chemical and temperature resistance it is hard wearing and provides dimensional stability. Trials of the special couplings proved successful and resulted in a substantial ongoing order for a range of the Huco Dynatork MultiBeam couplings made from PEEK™.

The general-purpose Huco Dynatork MultiBeam couplings readily accommodate any combination of axial motion and angular/parallel misalignment and as standard are machined in aluminium or stainless steel … and other materials by special order.

Couplings deal effectively with hostile environments

The sorts of hostile environment faced routinely by the military present challenges for engineering as well as personnel. An army has to be totally effective whether operating in deserts, jungles, swamps, mountains or arctic conditions. Similarly, the HUCO Dynatork coupling selected for position sensing in a rocket launcher control system had to prove its reliable operation in extremely aggressive environments. 

The brand of coupling initially chosen for the job failed consistently. A cocktail of heat, dust, debris and combustion products resulting from a missile launch created a viscous mass that completely solidified the coupling rendering it rock-hard and useless. 

World leading precision coupling manufacturer HUCO Dynatork was able to engineer a simple but clever solution. The resultant coupling is based on its standard 19mm diameter, stainless steel, Multibeam, a design that is ideal for accommodating both angular and parallel misalignment. A stretched version of the original was made – nearly double the standard length – and modified to accept a specially moulded neoprene gaiter that effectively shields the beam mechanism from debris attack. 

Nearly a year of exhaustive trials proved this tailored product to be the ideal solution and a quantity has now been ordered for retrofitting onto armoured vehicles and for stockholding. 

This is just one example of HUCO Dynatork’s ability to provide products for operation in hostile environments. The company produces a wide range of standard stainless steel motion components that resist aggressive solvents and are therefore ideal for use in wash-down conditions. It also offers a range of composite plastic products for a variety of applications including isolating high voltage. Beyond the standard range HUCO Dynatork welcomes the challenge of unusual applications.