In addition, the company also delivers diverse, future-orientated safety brakes and overload clutch solutions. For customers, says the company, this means high-quality power transmission from a single source, and at the same time fast and simple selection without a lot of effort.

In production plants, manufacturing accuracy, feed velocity or lifetime are heavily dependent on the quality of the servo axes and their components. In these axes, shaft couplings have the fundamental function of transferring the motor power accurately from one shaft to another and of compensating for any shaft misalignments. In servo technology, preferably steel bellows, elastomer and disk pack couplings are used which belong to the most commonly-used and attractive backlash-free shaft couplings. However, every drive has its own special features, thereby placing very different requirements on the couplings. For this reason, mayr power transmission offers a very wide and mature product program for very different drive constellations. Here, customers profit from the competence of a globally-leading company in mechanical power transmission.

“In addition to shaft couplings, mayr power transmission has developed and produced path-breaking, reliable safety brakes and overload clutches for decades," explains Ralf Epple, product manager at mayr power transmission. “Our customers are delighted to receive everything from a single source, which may also save on additional suppliers and costs."

The products by the renowned family-run company from the Allgaeu region are not only easy to use, but also easy to select; for example CAD data can be rapidly procured using the Product Configurator on the company website. In addition, direct contacts are available for consultation with a competent Service Team.

Steel bellows couplings: Accurate and backlash-free

With the smartflex steel bellows coupling, mayr power transmission provides a patented shaft coupling which is designed with a multi-layered steel bellows. This gives the coupling a high torsional rigidity, which in turn ensures high positioning and run-out accuracy and an absolute backlash-free and therefore error-free torque transmission between the two shafts. In addition, the multi-layered bellows design features a far higher misalignment compensation capability in comparison to single-layer bellows. Higher misalignment compensation capability also means higher reliability, operating safety and lifetime.

The smartflex couplings are also characterised by a clamping connection unique on the market between the shaft, hub and steel bellows – meaning a sturdy force locking connection. The clamping connection permits the couplings to be assembled very easily and flexibly according to the modular principle, and easily adapted to the changed shaft diameter or to different shaft distances. In this way, for example, variable intermediate sleeves which are clamped between two short smartflex designs can easily and quickly bridge larger shaft distances.

Leading, innovative technology

In addition to the smartflex, mayr power transmission has an extremely inexpensive, plug-in solution for easy installation or deinstallation in its range: the primeflex steel bellows coupling. Even after prolonged use, it can be safely deinstalled without putting the steel bellows at risk. And this is one of their decisive technical advantages, as on other steel bellows couplings there is frequently a risk that the steel bellows will be damaged or even destroyed when disconnecting the plug-in connections.

The primeflex coupling has a small outer diameter and can be easily and quickly mounted onto the shafts via clamping and shrink disk connections. These steel bellows couplings by mayr power transmission are also characterised through their excellent misalignment compensation capabilities. They compensate for axial displacement and radial and angular misalignment, and transmit the torque backlash-free.

Protection against critical vibrations

The elastic ROBA-ES claw couplings are used with servo axes on which critical vibrations occur and torsionally rigid shaft couplings reach their limits. These couplings also transmit the torque backlash-free and compensate for shaft misalignments. The damping compensation element protects the drive system against critical vibrations. However, the couplings are torsionally rigid in such a way that even with highly-dynamic servodrives, no compromises have to be made on accuracy.

The damping characteristics and the rigidity of the coupling can be varied via different plastic Shore hardnesses. The clamping hubs, which are produced from aluminium, guarantee a low mass moment of inertia and ensure fast and safe assembly. In addition, the coupling is characterised by maintenance-free, media-resistant and temperature-resistant properties and thus guarantees maximum operational safety.

Strong performance in a compact package

Disk pack couplings such as the ROBA-DS have the highest torsional rigidity compared with steel bellows and elastomer couplings. They are robust and resistant to different temperatures and are wear-resistant and maintenance-free, which is why they are especially suitable for use in extreme ambient conditions. A wide-ranging standard modular system with intermediate sleeves and a multitude of available hub designs ensures, in addition to high flexibility, adaptability in numerous drive constellations.

The couplings with their appropriately-selected hubs can be easily and quickly installed and deinstalled, even in difficult ambient conditions. The nominal torques stated in the catalogue can be used for all ROBA-DS disk pack couplings without any restrictions. The stated shaft misalignments can be utilised to the sum of 100% without influencing the transmittable torque.

Know-how and equipment

In particular when it comes to difficult applications, mayr power transmission is able to depend on the required know-how and experience. For example, the company also has high-speed servo couplings with speeds of well over 20,000 rpm in its range. In the case of these constructional designs, the individual parts are produced with high accuracy and restricted axial and shaft run-out tolerances, and balanced in completely assembled condition.

As these couplings – as is the case with all the other construction designs – have to function precisely and safely, mayr power transmission comprehensively tests all the couplings on modern test stands under the conditions prevailing in real-life applications. In this way, the consistently high quality of the products is guaranteed.   

Complete solutions all from one source

In many applications, combinations of shaft couplings and torque limiting safety clutches are used. The latter protect machines against expensive overload damage. If the torque exceeds the limit value set on the safety clutch, the clutch disengages and disconnects the input and output. mayr power transmission also offers know-how and service from a single source for these complete solutions, too.