FEATURE
CLUTCHES, BRAKES & COUPLINGS
sponsored by
OLDHAM COUPLINGS FROM RULAND FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE EQUIPMENT
With food processing equipment requiring components suitable for the operating
environment – which can range from high temperatures to washdown environments –
Ruland Manufacturing explains why its Oldham couplings suit application demands
operating environment such as washdown, high temperature, and caustic chemicals. To meet demands, Oldham couplings are an ideal solution for food and beverage equipment due to their misalignment accommodation, zero-backlash properties, and balanced design. Ruland manufactures hubs in aluminium for general purpose applications and 303 stainless steel for high corrosion and temperature applications, giving designers an off-the-shelf coupling suitable for various servo-driven applications such as connecting a motor to a ball screw, lead screw or gearbox.
F
OLDHAM COUPLING DESIGN Oldham couplings are comprised of two hubs that mate to a centre disk. This three-piece design allows food and beverage equipment designers to customise oldham couplings with a clamp or set screw hub with inch, metric, keyed, and keyless bores. They have a balanced design for reduced vibration at speeds up to 6,000rpm and operate with low bearing loads, protecting these sensitive components from premature failure. In addition, Ruland uses a proprietary hub machining process that leaves a smoother surface for interaction between the hub and disk, resulting in longer life and reduced downtime. The oldham disk is available in acetal
for zero-backlash and high torque capacity, PEEK for high temperature and corrosion resistance, and nylon for dampening and noise reduction. In the event of failure or wear, the disk is replaceable, restoring the original performance characteristics of the coupling. Oldham couplings also act as a mechanical fuse during torque overload situations, with the disk breaking cleanly and stopping power transmission. The use of 303 stainless steel combined with a
24 DESIGN SOLUTIONS NOVEMBER 2024 Ruland stainless steel oldham
coupling, ideal for food and beverage equipment due to its misalignment accommodation, zero-backlash properties and balanced design
ood processing equipment requires a diverse range of components due to various requirements in the
PEEK disk allows designers to use standard oldham couplings in a wider variety of servo- driven applications. Stainless steel hubs have hardware of like material to maintain consistent corrosion resistance. Ruland adds a proprietary surface treatment to hardware to prevent galling.
COUPLING SOLUTIONS Ruland Oldham couplings are available in bore sizes from 3mm to 32mm. Disks can be manufactured with a centre hole to allow further shaft penetration or slots for retention hardware to attach the disk to a hub so it can stay in place during disassembly. Oldham couplings are carefully manufactured in Ruland’s factory in Marlborough, Massachusetts under strict controls using proprietary processes. Ruland manufactures couplings and shaft
collars for food processing and packaging equipment in a variety of sizes, styles and materials, and supplies adjustable handles, modular mounting systems, universal joints and other components to meet the demands of this industry. Design engineers benefit from using Ruland because they can select many
standard in-stock parts from a single source. 3D CAD files, full product specifications, and additional technical information are available on the website.
Ruland Manufacturing Co.
www.ruland.com
Acorn Industrial Services T: 0800 8766 441
www.acorn-ind.co.uk/ruland
Feature
Ruland stainless steel oldham coupling with PEEK centre disk for high temperature and corrosion resistance
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
