Flexible Couplings

Anaheim Automation's CPL-HC series helical couplings and couplers are a high quality helical design coupling that will handle the most demanding applications. These helical couplings compensate for shaft misalignment and work at high speed, transmitting high torque at a constant velocity. The coupling will compensate for lateral, axial, and angular misalignments. There is no backlash and these helical couplers never require any maintenance. We offer a wide variety of sizes for many of the motor shafts that we carry


Type: Clamp Type Coupling
Screw Torque: Up To 25 Ounce-Inches
• Variety of Outside, Minor and Major Diameters
• Never Requires Maintenance
• No Backlash
Type: Set Screw Type Coupling
Screw Torque: Up To 80 Ounce-Inches
• Variety of Outside, Minor and Major Diameters
• Never Requires Maintenance
• No Backlash
Fundamentals of Flexible Couplings
  • Flexible Couplings - Basics
  • Flexible Couplings - Setup
  • Flexible Couplings - Facts
  • Flexible Couplings - Maintenance and Failure
  • Flexible Couplings - Balance
Basics of Flexible Couplings
Flexible Couplings Flexible couplings can also be known as elastic couplings. These couplings tend to have an elastic section between the ends of the coupling. There are a number of flexible couplings unique in construction made specific to applications. Flexible couplings are designed to transmit torque while allowing radial, axial, and angular misalignment. Flexible couplings can compensate for angular misalignment up to a few degrees and some parallel misalignment.
Setup of Flexible Couplings
As a requirement of good shaft alignment, flexible couplings should be easy to connect or disconnect. The transfer of power from one shaft to the other should not incur any loss. Flexible couplings allow misalignment between two adjacent shafts. The goal is to minimize the remaining misalignment in running operation to maximize the power transmission and to maximize machine runtime while utilizing flexible couplings.
Facts of Flexible Couplings
Flexible couplings can protect machinery from wear and premature breakdown. Flexible couplings can play a large role in extending the life of a components attached to the coupling and at the same time, not degrading the performance of the machine. Flexible couplings should have a proper fitting and this is sometimes overlooked which can be critical to machine design quality.
Flexible Couplings Maintenance and Failure
Flexible Couplings call for a regularly scheduled inspection, but maintenance is relatively easy. Inspections include:
•Performing visual inspections, regularly cleaning of flexible couplings as well as analyzing them for signs of wear and fatigue.
•If the flexible couplings are lubricated, checking and changing the lubrication annually. Some flexible couplings should be checked more often if they are used in adverse environments or in demanding operating conditions.
•Dating and documenting maintenance that is performed on each flexible coupling.

Flexible Couplings can fail even with proper maintenance. The main reasons for flexible couplings failure consist of:
•Inaccurate or improper installation
•Inadequate selection of flexible couplings
•Operation above the capability of the flexible couplings design

Understanding the problem of what caused a failure and correcting it before installing new flexible couplings can improve the overall flexible couplings life. Some things to look for that signifies future flexible couplings failure include:
•Abnormal noise, including screeching, squealing or chattering
•Extra wobble or vibration
•Lubrication leakage or contamination by means of failed seals
Flexible Couplings Balance
Flexible couplings are usually balanced at the factory before they are shipped, but every once in a while they go out balance during operation. Re-balancing flexible couplings can be expensive and difficult; it is usually only done when operating tolerance effort outweighs the expense. The characteristics of the specific connected machines dictate the amount of flexible couplings unbalance that can be tolerated by any system; this can be determined by experience or detailed analysis.
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