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FEATURE
CLUTCHES, BRAKES & COUPLINGS
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Feature
BEAM COUPLINGS FOR ROBOTICS APPLICATIONS
Thanks to their increased torque and torsional stiffness, as well as their ability to accommodate all forms of misalignment, Ruland beam couplings are ideal for surgical, warehouse and
industrial robotics. Here the company looks into their features and benefits
connecting a stepper or servo motor to a lead screw. This allows robotic designers to design a standard beam coupling into most systems. Ruland’s beam couplings are machined from
R
a single piece of aluminium or stainless steel for a zero-backlash design and maintenance-free service life. They are manufactured in 7075 aluminium for low inertia and 303 stainless steel for increased torque capacity. Multiple sets of spiral cuts enable Ruland
uland manufactures four-beam couplings for encoders and six-beam couplings for light-duty power transmission, such as
beam couplings to handle all forms of misalignment – angular, parallel, axial motion, and complex – through frequent starts and stops. Furthermore, the multiple-beam design also allows for higher torque and torsional stiffness than commodity-style single-beam couplings. F-Series six-beam couplings have two sets
of three beams, allowing them to maintain accuracy, repeatability and reliability in robotic systems. They have larger body sizes than comparable four-beam couplings for increased torque and torsional stiffness. F-series clamp- style beam couplings are supplied with Ruland’s proprietary Nypatch anti-vibration hardware to prevent screws from loosening during operation. P- and MW-Series four-beam couplings have
two sets of two beams for increased flexibility and reduced bearing loads compared to the six-beam style. They also have shorter lengths, making them suitable for space-restricted applications commonly found in encoders. MW-Series couplings have nominal metric dimensions to better fit with systems with metric components. Ruland offers beam
couplings with a clamp or set screw hub attachment with inch, metric, and inch-to- metric combinations ranging from 1/8 inch to ¾ inch and 3mm to 20mm. They are manufactured in Ruland’s factory in Marlborough, Massachusetts, under strict controls using proprietary
36 DESIGN SOLUTIONS SEPTEMBER 2024
processes. Non-standard designs such as anodizing, non-standard bore sizes, and special tolerances are available upon request. Beam couplings are part of Ruland’s
complete zero-backlash coupling line, including rigid, bellows, disc, jaw, oldham, controlflex, and slit couplings.
“Ruland manufactures four-beam couplings for encoders and six-beam couplings
for light-duty power transmission”
WHY RULAND BEAM COUPLINGS FOR ROBOTICS?
• Zero-backlash for precise motion control • Six-beam and four-beam couplings available in aluminium or stainless steel
• Increased torque and torsional stiffness when compared to single beam couplings • RoHS3 REACH, and Conflict Minerals compliant • Manufactured and inventoried in Ruland’s Marlborough, Massachusetts factory
• Available in the UK from Acorn Industrial Services.
Ruland Manufacturing Co.
www.ruland.com
Acorn Industrial Services T: 0800 8766 441
www.acorn-ind.co.uk/ruland
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