When we look at custom or specialist shaft couplings, it is important to remember that it does not invariably mean a custom or specialist price; it can sometimes actually mean a cost saving.
Shaft couplings by the nature of their placement are ultimately the critical connection between the motor and the driven mechanism; and there is a plethora of shaft coupling designs on the market that match the diversity of that end use.However, true custom solutions rise above just a difference in bore size or how the shaft coupling is attached, for example by set screw, clamp or key way.
Application challenges are numerous and can become apparent at the initial design or post design stage. Other external factors such as cost reduction and supplier optimisation can also warrant a bespoke solution to a challenge. Challenges such as abnormal shaft offset, harmonic vibration, operating environment or just achieving the maximum performance out of the smallest dimensions; all can warrant the design engineer to look at different solutions. However, standard designs, whilst having a legitimate place in the market place can rarely satisfy all demands within the same design envelope.
Clever solutions will potentially encompass, parameters such as a material choice, the ability to change the physical mass within the same envelope size, have up to 90 degrees of flexibility and the possibility to amalgamate parts of the drive system into the one piece part. This is exactly where the Helical beam shaft coupling has the greatest advantage over the competition. It is the ease in which the core product design can be adapted from a standard part and into a cost effective, multi-functional bespoke design.
Once the performance dynamics of the shaft coupling are decided, then how the part would best be connected to the drive design is investigated. In many cases, the final shaft coupling design is normally an amalgamation of separate parts that include such items as external gears, splines, threads and tangs. Most importantly, it enables the design engineer to achieve far greater usage from one item in the total machine, which inevitably leads to greater efficiency. How the standard shaft coupling connectability is enhanced, is really up to the designer.
Being smart about the design can save cost.
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