Ruland Manufacturing has expanded its range of short rigid couplings to include keyways and step bore sizes. This expansion gives designers a wider variety of standard short rigid coupling options for applications with space or weight restrictions — or where designers prefer a simplified assembly with fewer screws than traditional rigid couplings. Many servo-driven applications…

In 1980, Great Britain’s National Trust recommissioned Gondola, an 1859 steam-powered vessel for 86 passengers styled after a Venetian gondola, on Coniston Water in Cumbria, England. The 86-ft. long vessel is powered by a twin-cylinder, “V-90” configured double-acting steam engine that generates a maximum torque of 8,000 Nm (5,900 lb.ft.) with a service speed of…

As we ring in the new year, the Design World staff would like to present our most-read articles of 2022. 1. Best free analog circuit simulators Blogs and online forums catering to engineers often mention all kinds of free packages and services aimed at circuit designers. Trouble is, a lot of these free resources are…

Maximum cleanliness is one of the essential prerequisites wherever food is produced. However, hygienic requirements also play a significant role in other industries, from medical technology and the pharmaceutical industry to the production of dispersion coatings. Almost everywhere today, the aim is to make products without preservative additives – this requires production environments with a…

Like all mechanical parts, shafts are subject to manufacturing and assembly tolerances that generally cannot be entirely eliminated even with extensive technical measures. Without compensation of these mechanical deviations, they can cause vibrations, noises, and stiffness — eventually reducing the lifespan of the connected units. The standard part professionals at JW Winco tackled these problems…

  Written by William Hewitson, President Ruland Manufacturing Co., Inc. Mechanical couplings have a principal use in the connection of rotating shafts for the transfer of rotary motion and torque. As with all mechanical devices, a coupling must match its intended purpose and application parameters including various performance, environmental, use, and service factors. When selected…

A new Limit Switch Mount, the LM-1, solves the long-standing problem of mounting a snap-action switch while also providing a large amount of adjustment. The mount accommodates both miniature and standard snap-action switches. Specifically, it will fit snap-action switches with: #4 (0.112in/2.84 mm) or #6 (0.138 in/3.5 mm) mounting holes and a mounting hole spacing…

Coupling bolts used for live tooling on lathes are subject to relaxation, which occurs due to inadequate pre-loading of the bolts during installation, or to rough or inaccurately machined coupling faces — resulting in misalignment. This misalignment causes excessive vibration, which puts an unnecessary load on bearings, and curtails operation at full power. In response…

Originally built in 1898 and expanded over the next 30 years, the Twyford Waterworks continues to supply water to the city of Southhampton and surrounding areas in Southern England. In 1985, the non-profit Twyford Waterworks Trust was established to run the facility. The site is currently owned by Southern Water Services who use electric submersible…

Edited by Mike Santora A manufacturer of industrial sweepers and brooms required an economical coupling solution for a line of road construction sweepers. Dual hydraulic pumps, horizontally mounted to each other off the rear of the machine’s 74 HP Tier 4 engine, drive the propulsion of the machine and control the operation and speed of…

The new 750-330 BACnet coupler is the latest addition to the line of building automation controllers and remote I/O. The Building Automation and Control Network enabled coupler facilitates the communication between building automation devices and control systems applications. The BACnet/IP Coupler is equipped according to BACnet revision 12 and can manage up to 256 BACnet…

When designing pumps and compressors, you’ll need to use couplings that balance efficient torque transfer against the ability to withstand vibration, shock loads and misalignment between the motor and drive shaft. Ringfeder offers four coupling options that help do just that. TNR Coupling consists of an aluminum housing and steel hub, separated by cylindrical elastomer […]

With an increased demand for compact mounting solutions in the automation industry, R+W has released the CHB housing for parallel assemblies of motors and actuators. These box housings are available in 5 compact sizes and 2 ratios, allowing for an easier selection process during the design phase, in addition to downsizing of motors. Each unit […]

Installation overview: Even if a coupling is properly selected, poor installation can cause failures, staying within the recommended misalignment ratings of that coupling at installation is critical. Here, we will cover several coupling types and what to be careful of during installation. Always be sure coupling is used within the manufacturer’s ratings. Use a torque […]

The fourth quarter 2016 Sales History & Outlook Report (SHOR) released by the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) shows power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) distributor sales declined 3.6% from the 3Q16 level, a typical decline for that time period. However, leading indicators for PT/MC products suggest sales will rise through 2017 and 2018 before declining in […]

    Have you ever broken a servo coupling? If you answered yes, you are not alone. On this webinar hosted by Bobby Watkins, Ruland Manufacturing’s VP of Sales and Applications, you will learn why couplings fail, the importance of proper installation, and ways you can avoid failures in the future. Bobby will use a…

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”— an old phrase perhaps most appropriate in reference to the coupling selection of a design. With time constraints moving at the speed of commerce, designers go with what they know has worked in the past. That’s a legitimate argument. Plus, there is no reason to over-engineer the simple…

When Coupling Tips.com spoke with KTR Engineering Services Manager, Chris Scholz we asked him about some of the common misconceptions about couplings, torque limiters and the integration of the two. Here are some of the highlights from the interview. We kicked things off by asking what topics are being brought up most often when fielding…

These CPU pin-type couplings effectively dampen system vibration, especially on packaging systems. Designed using a simple pin and bushing connection that minimizes vibration, these couplings handle angular misalignment of 4° and parallel misalignment of 0.5 mm. The design maintains zero backlash for smooth system operation. Also, the couplings’ aluminum construction makes for a lightweight yet…

Ameridrives was contacted to fix the problem and ensure that it didn’t happen again. Gear couplings were initially installed on all the polymer pumps between the pumps and gearboxes in this high-torque, low-speed (50 rpm) application. However, keeping all the expensive gear couplings properly lubricated throughout their plants around the world proved to be a…

Initial coupling selection aside, the prevention of premature component failure begins with installation. Installing the right part the wrong way is bad—seems obvious. Yet, nearly all coupling manufacturers we speak with have similar tales of installation nightmares. Mike Parzych, product marketing manager at GAM, gave us the three most common installation mistakes he encounters. Tighten…

Fluid power was well-represented at Agritechnica, the world’s largest agricultural-machinery trade fair held last month in Hannover, Germany. Fluid Power World recently noted that Linde Hydraulics received the…

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The management teams of CENTA Antriebe Kirschey GmbH and Christie & Grey Limited announce a strategic global sales cooperation between their companies. The agreement allows the two companies to join forces to engineer and strategically supply the industry’s premium “quiet drive” solutions – combining soft mounting systems, flexible couplings, and intermediate drive shaft systems. As…

T&B® Fittings Non-Metallic Expansion/Deflection Couplings from Thomas & Betts (T&B), developed for polyvinylchloride (PVC) systems, now are compatible with fiberglass raceway, also known as reinforced thermosetting resin conduit (RTRC), when bonded with methacrylate adhesive. “The use of a methacrylate adhesive has enabled the expansion of the couplings’ applications beyond PVC systems to include RTRC systems,”…

MW Industries announced the acquisition of Servometer and BellowsTech, world leading manufacturers of precision engineered bellows and electroformed components. Both companies have developed innovative technologies to service mission critical applications across a variety of markets. Located in Cedar Grove, NJ, Servometer designs and manufactures a high quality line of miniature bellows, flexible shaft couplings, contact…