Making all the right connections

Shaft couplings are used in almost every single industry, as Lenze points out, “be it packaging machines, intralogistics, woodworking machines, AGVs, medical devices and many more”. Couplings are as different as the applications. Considering the perfect match will ensure a durable and optimised drive train in your machine, it adds.

Main functionalities of couplings

Usually, the main functionalities are connection drive and driven shaft for transmitting torque. According to the coupling design, you can have further characteristics, like compensating shaft misalignment, damping vibrations and so forth.

Flexible couplings

These are the most common couplings for machine builders. “Flexible couplings have damping elements, allowing to compensate shaft misalignments. Depending on the application and the requirements, we suggest using backlash-free couplings (mainly for servo-drives) or one non-backlash free couplings,” adds Lenze.

Rigid couplings

“Rigid coupling s have no damping characteristics. Depending on the coupling design they can transmit high torques and can be used at high temperatures [all-steel couplings] or can be use in servo drives with high dynamics and position accuracy [backlash-free].”

The perfect match

What type of coupling should be used? “To answer this question, we need to understand your application and the associated requirements,” states Lenze. “The fit of drive components like couplings affects the overall quality of the drive train and therefor the quality of the whole machine. We are specialised on couplings and further drive components. Our aim is to provide users with the perfect match in drive components. This ensures an optimised mechanical drive train and a high overall machine performance.”