Flexible Shaft Coupling Selection is critical for for any application. There are many applications that can benefit from using couplings that allow for flexiblity. There are a few options to consider when looking at flexible couplings: flexible shaft couplings, gear couplings, hydraulic drive couplings, magnetic shaft couplings and fluid drive couplings. There are benefits to all of these couplings but only MagnaDrive magnetic couplings and Adjustable Speed Drives are able to transfer torque with no physical connection between the motor and the load. Flexible Shaft Couplings still require a connection between the motor shaft and the load shaft, even though they utilize a flexible elastomeric material vibration is still transmitted and they offer no protection if a load seizure occurs and the same goes for fluid drive couplings, gear couplings, and hydraulic shaft couplings.
MagnaDrive's revolutionary magnetic coupling actually transfers torque through thin air. This is why magnetic couplings can tolerate more misalignment than flexible shaft couplings, fluid couplings, or hydraulic couplings. The principle behind MagnaDrive's couplings and drives is very simple. A copper conductor rotor is attached to the motor shaft and a magnetic rotor is attached to the load shaft. The spinning of the copper creates a strong magnetic field that transmits torque without any physical contact. We can also adjust the power transmitted by moving the magnet rotors further from the copper rotors. This creates more slip and allows us to vary speed without the need for a Variable Frequency Drive, VFD. The fact that we are disconnected helps saves the motor shaft and load shaft from issues that could arise from misalignment and vibration.
Flexible Shaft Couplings - allow some flexiblility but there is still a physical connection between the motor shaft and the load shaft. Only MagnaDrive couplings are able to transmit torque with no connection. Fluid shaft couplings put more stress on the motor shaft and the load shaft and offer no protection in the case of a load seizure. While a flexible shaft coupling may work for some applications it is important to know about magnetic couplings because they offer what no other couplings can.
Fluid Drive Couplings - also know as hydraulic couplings, provide more protection to the motor shaft and load shaft then flexible shaft couplings. Fluid drive couplings also allow for a smooth start and can help save energy and increase equipment life. However, MagnaDrive magnetic couplings also allow for a smooth start and increase equipment life even more than fluid drive couplings. Another problem with fluid drive couplings is that they are complicated and require oil which is a haz-mat issue that requires special disposal. MagnaDrive couplings are a green technology and do not produce any hazardous waste, and since there is no connection between the motor shaft and the load shaft, MagnaDrive couplings offer the most flexible coupling on the market.
Magnetic Shaft Couplings - MagnaDrive couplings are truly flexible because they transmit torque from the motor shaft to the load shaft with no physical connection. A copper rotor is attached to the motor shaft and a magnet rotor is attached to the load shaft. We can adjust the speed by varying the gap between the magnetic rotor and the copper rotor. MagnaDrive Adjustable Speed Drives eliminates the need for a Variable Frequency Drive, VFD, in many coupling applications.
While flexible shaft couplings and fluid shaft couplings may work for a specific application, it is important to understand what is the best possible solution out there. Just because something works it doesn't mean that it is the best option. There are many things to consider when deciding on which type of flexible coupling to use: cost of the coupling, type of application, is a smooth start required, will there be frequent load seizures, how much vibration/misalignment problems will there be.....the list goes on and on.
When choosing which magnetic coupling best fits your needs there are several options available.
