Orpex couplings, Jaure couplings, Juboflex couplings and Habix couplings, and just about every other make and model of coupling you care to think of, all have one thing in common, they need proper installation and maintenance to avoid failure.
As Machine Design advises, couplings selected with the right application in mind, improves precision, helps protect other important industrial components from premature failure and ultimately helps ensure the coupling lasts longer.
Coupling maintenance
Like most industrial components, couplings require regular inspections in order to keep working at their optimum. Generally speaking, couplings should be maintained annually. However, if the couplings are operating in harsh environments and demanding conditions, maintenance should be carried out more than once a year.
The inspection should include:
. Checking for signs of fatigue and wear by visual inspections
. Cleaning couplings regularly
. If the coupling is lubricated, the lubricant should be changed regularly
. The maintenance of the coupling should be adequately documented and dated
However, even if a coupling is regularly inspected and maintained, failure can still occur if the likes of a Hadeflex coupling or a Habix coupling is installed incorrectly or a coupling is used that isn’t compatible for application is selected.
Selecting the right coupling for installation
Some of the key points engineers should consider when choosing a particular coupling or set of couplings for a job include:
. Select couplings that compensate for the parallel, angular, axial or complex misalignments in the system
. In order to get accurate position measurement in motion-controlled applications, zero-backlash couplings are essential
Errors in alignment can prove detrimental to the condition of couplings. Misalignment of couplings can be axial, parallel or angular, or sometimes a combination of all three.
The good news is that couplings often give out external signs that indicate potential failure, meaning the operator can get them repaired or changed before any real damage occurs to the couplings or to other industrial components in the machine.
Signs of wear and potential coupling failure include:
. The machine vibrating or moving excessively
. Abnormal noise coming from the equipment, such as screeching or chattering sounds
. Seals have failed due to contamination of the parts and the leakage of lubricants
As we wrote in an earlier blog about the different types of couplings and their functions, there are numerous different makes and models of couplings and choosing the right one for the job in hand is essential for ensuring the job is done properly and ensuring the coupling doesn’t fail prematurely.
As is regular the regular inspection and maintenance of couplings, regardless as to whether it is a Tschan tormax coupling, a Stellflex grid coupling, or any other type of coupling for that matter.
If you have any questions about locating a specialist coupling for an application get in touch with YB Components, specialists in the supply of couplings and other essential industrial components.