Oldham Couplings For Actuators

According to the company, Oldham couplings from Ruland can compensate for any form of misalignment and are particularly suitable for compensating large parallel displacements. In the event of misalignments, there is little frictional resistance on the center disc of the clutch, the bearing stress is thus kept low and sensitive system components are protected. Oldham clutches are structurally balanced to reduce vibrations at higher speeds. This should be a clear advantage, especially in applications with motors and actuators for positioning cost-intensive system components that are particularly sensitive to the smallest vibrations. Due to the non-conductive center plate, Oldham couplings have an electrically insulating effect.This is to prevent electrical current transfers to sensitive instruments.

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Center plate available in various designs

Oldham clutches consist of two hubs made of anodized aluminum and a centrally mounted disc for torque transmission. According to Ruland, the combination of coupling hubs with bores in metric or imperial dimensions, with or without feather key groove as well as in clamping or adjusting screw designs is possible without any problems. The manufacturer uses a proprietary hub machining process that ensures smoother surfaces and a better interaction between the hub and the disc. As a result, this should lead to a longer lifespan and less downtime. The center disc is available in different versions:

• made of acetal for a play-free transmission of higher torques,
• Made of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) for applications with high temperatures and outgassing restrictions
• and made of nylon to absorb shock loads and reduce noise.

Mechanical protection in the event of torque overload

In the event of wear or a malfunction, the disk should be easily replaced and the original performance of the clutch can be restored quickly. In the event of a torque overload, Oldham clutches also function as a mechanical safety device, since the center disk breaks cleanly and the power transmission in the system stops.

The couplings are available with bore sizes from 3 mm to 30 mm. Stainless steel hubs are also available on request, which provide a high level of corrosion protection and are also suitable for use in clean room environments or vacuum. The center disks can be provided with a central hole so that the shaft can be pushed through further, or with threaded holes to screw the disk to a hub and fix it during removal. (sh)