If you’re in an industry that involves large loads, such as mining, you most likely have special requirements when choosing a coupling system. Falk couplings offer a wide variety of options to address everything from weight to torque and misalignment.
The most common types of Falk surplus couplings available include grid, gear, disc or elastomeric. Before you can choose the right Falk coupling for your application, it helps to understand some of the key factors involved.
1. Torque. Make sure the Falk coupling you choose meets your torque requirements. First, you need to find out a gear’s torque rating. A torque rating is simply the amount of torque transmitted by a gear. Falk gear couplings have the highest torque in a small size. Next, disc or grid couplings have the most torque. Elastomeric couplings offer the least.
2. Service factor. After determining your torque requirements, it’s important to consider how torque may fluctuate during operation. Engineers decide on the perceived severity of torque in operation, and then assign it a service factor. Service factors are standard ratings of torque severity. Experienced engineers can estimate these values, but it can be a challenge in the beginning because coupling manufacturers do not agree on values. It is best to consult with your Falk coupling provider to accurately determine the service factor of any chosen coupling.
3. Maintenance and service support. What will it take to maintain the coupling you need? While some Falk couplings such as disc and elastomer do not require lubrication, gear and grid couplings do. Yearly lubrication of grid couplings was a requirement until long-term grease increased it to five years. Since up to 90 percent of gear coupling failures are due to a shortage of lubrication, they require more. Make sure you inquire about the service level available when you purchase couplings. Talk to your Falk coupling representative for more service details.
You can take the guesswork out of choosing Falk couplings for large loads by considering the above factors beforehand. Whether you use new Falk couplings or Falk surplus couplings, your representative can help you choose the right coupling for your load.
[Photo by: Alisha Vargas on Flickr via CC License]
Posted under Products/Services on Tuesday, August 30th, 2011