Maintenance Engineering Certificate Course

By Career Guidance Cell (CGC)

Department of Mechanical Engineering,
College of Engineering and Computer Science
FLEXIBLE COUPLINGS

• A flexible coupling is a
mechanical device used to
connect two axially oriented
shafts.

• Its purpose is to transmit torque

or rotary motion without slip and
at the same time compensate
for angular, parallel, and axial
misalignment.
Supplementary functions?

• Restricting axial movement of

the connected shafts;
• Minimizing or eliminating the
conduction of heat,
electricity, or sound;
• Torsional dampening; and
• Torsional tuning of a system

• Basically, all flexible couplings can be categorized as

either mechanical flexing or material flexing.
 Types?

• Clearances are provided to permit movements to within

specific limits.
• Lubrication is usually required to reduce wear within the
coupling and to minimize the cross-loading in the
connected shafts.
• The most prominent in this category are the chain, gear,
grid, and Oldham flexible couplings.
• The material-flexing group are made of metal, rubber,
plastic, or composite.
• The material-flexing group includes laminated-disk,
diaphragm, spring, and elastomer flexible couplings
 Chain couplings

• Compact units capable

of transmitting
proportionately high
torques at low speeds.

• They consist of two hubs

having sprocket teeth
which are connected by
a strand of single-roller,
double-roller, or silent
chain.
Roller-chain coupling. (Rexnord
Corporation, Coupling Division.)
 Chain couplings

• A number of special features such

as hardened sprocket teeth,
special tooth forms, and barrel-
shaped rollers are available which
are designed to increase
flexibility and reduce wear.
Roller-chain coupling. (Rexnord
• Nonmetallic chains are used on Corporation, Coupling Division.)
light-duty drives where the use of
a lubricant is prohibited
Gear couplings

The most prominent type in the mechanical-

flexing group, are available in a wide range of
sizes and styles. They are capable of
transmitting proportionately high torques at
either low or high speeds.

In their most common form, they are compact

and consist of two identical hubs with external
gear teeth and a sleeve or sleeves with
matching internal gear teeth. Shaft
misalignment is accommodated by clearances
between the matching gear teeth.
Gear Couplings

Gear-tooth coupling, standard double engagement type.

(The Falk Corporation.)
Gear Couplings

Gear-tooth coupling, spacer type. (Zurn

Industries, Inc.)
Gear Couplings

Gear-tooth coupling, spindle type. (Zurn

Industries, Inc.
Gear Couplings

Gear-tooth coupling, highspeed spacer

type. (Zurn Industries,
Floating-shaft gear couplings
Usually consist of a standard coupling
with a two-piece sleeve. The sleeve
halves are bolted to rigid flanges to
form two single-flexing couplings.

These are connected by an

intermediate shaft which permits the
transmission of power between widely
separated machines. On high-speed or
short-span drives, spools are used to
separate the two half couplings
Spindle couplings
Modification of the floating-shaft gear
coupling. They are used extensively on mill-
roll drives and other related equipment which
has unavoidable offsetting of the driving and
driven shafts.

In addition to accepting large angles of

misalignment, they must operate with a
relatively uniform angular velocity. These
couplings are subject to severe operating
conditions and are therefore a relatively high
maintenance item. Numerous special features
are available which are designed to reduce
maintenance and downtime
 LUBRICATION

There are several methods of lubricating gear

couplings. These are grease pack, oil fill, oil
collect, and continuous oil flow. The vast
majority of drives operate at 3600 rpm or less
and use grease as the lubricant. Both grease
and oil are used at speeds of 3600 to 6000 rpm.
Oil is normally used as the lubricant in
couplings operation over 6000 rpm.

In Maintenance program, consideration should

be given to torsional loads and their
characteristics, high or low temperatures,
rotating speeds, and environmental conditions
Metallic-grid couplings
Compact units capable of
transmitting proportionately high
torques at moderate speeds. They
consist of two flanged hubs with
special grooves or slots cut axially
on the outside.

The flanges are joined by

interlacing a serpentine metallic
grid. Flexibility is achieved by
sliding movement of the grid in the
slots. Flexure of the grid in the
curved slots provides some
torsional resilience
Oldham couplings

It is known as block-and-jaw couplings. They

are compact units normally relegated to light
or medium duty and moderate speeds. They
consist of two jaw flanges and a floating-block
center member. The jaw flanges are
positioned at right angles to each other and
engage opposite parallel surfaces of the block.

Oldham coupling. (Zurn Industries, Inc.)

 Laminated disk-ring couplings
In their most common double-
flexing form, two flanged hubs
are connected to a floating-
center member through
laminated disk rings. Each of
the disk rings is alternately
bolted or riveted to a hub
flange and center member.

The disk rings in tandem allow

the coupling to accommodate
angular and parallel
misalignment as well as a
limited amount of end float.
For High Speed Applications
 Diaphragm couplings

This coupling uses two flexing

elements separated by a floating-
center member. The diaphragm is
normally attached at the outside
and inside diameter by bolts
welding to connect the hubs to the
floating-center member. Single-element diaphragm coupling. (Lucas Aerospace Corporation.)

The torque goes through the

diaphragm assembly for the outside
to inside diameter, or vice versa.
The flexibility of the diaphragm
design accommodates angular and
parallel shaft misalignment as well
as a limited amount of end float.
 Elastomeric Coupling
In their basic concept, they consist of two hubs separated
and connected by elastomeric element. On shear-type
couplings, the elastomer may be bonded, clamped, or fitted
to matching sections of the hubs. The compression-type
couplings usually utilize projecting pins, bolts, or lugs to
connect the components. The elastomeric flexing elements
may be polyurethane, rubber neoprene, or impregnated
cloths and fibers.

Elastomeric
coupling,
shear-type
flexing element.
(The Falk
Corporation.)
Elastomeric coupling, shear-type flexing
element. (Rexnord Corporation, Coupling Division.)
CAUSES OF COUPLING FAILURE

• Failure may be due to either faults within the coupling itself or

external conditions.
• Most failures due to internal faults are the result of improper or poor
machining. They are related to concentricities, squareness of the
mating face, and tolerances on the various piloting or registering
diameters.
• Another major cause of failure due to internal faults is improper
product design.
• Lack of a lubricating film between these high pressure surfaces will
result in rapid wear.
• Most common causes of failure due to external conditions are
improper selection, improper assembly, and excessive misalignment.
Coupling Selection

1. Type of driving and driven equipment

2. Torsional characteristics
3. Minimum and maximum torque
4. Normal and maximum rotating speeds
5. Shaft sizes
6. Span or distance between shaft ends
7. Changes in span due to thermal growth, racking of the bases, or axial
movement of the connected shafts during operation
8. Equipment position (horizontal, inclined, or vertical)
9. Ambient conditions (dry, wet, corrossion, dust, or grit)
10. Bearing locations
11. Cost (initial coupling price, installation, maintenance, and
replacement).
 Installation

• It is necessary to disassemble the coupling before

installation.
• The driving and driven shafts, as well as the bore in
the hubs, should be inspected to make sure they are
free of burrs, dirt, and grit.
• Clearance over the key is essential. Normal practice
uses 0.005 in of clearance.
• It will be necessary to heat the hubs in water, oil, or a
furnace and quickly position them on the shafts.
• Spot heating with a sharp, concentrated flame must
be avoided because it will cause distortion and affect
the capabilities of the material.
• Finally, the equipment should be brought into its
approximate operating position and the coupling
reassembled.
ALIGNMENT
• Remember that misalignment is the major
cause of coupling problems
• Changes from the initial condition can occur
through pipe strain, bearing wear, settling of
foundations, base distortion due to torque,
thermal changes, and vibrations in the
connected equipment’s.
• Normally, there are three conditions of
misalignment that a flexible coupling must
accommodate.
• These are angular misalignment, parallel
misalignment, and axial misalignment (end
float).
MISALIGNMENTS
MISALIGNMENTS
MISALIGNMENTS

On most drives, the use of a straightedge and scale has

given way to dial indicators, optics, and lasers. When
properly applied, the devices will give precise
measurements as to the amount of misalignment as well
as give its phase or direction.
MISALIGNMENTS
The first and most often overlooked step in
equipment alignment is to bring the shafts into
their proper axial position

Axial spacing.
 Misalignment Testing

Using a dial indicator to check angular Using a dial indicator to check parallel
misalignment misalignment.
SHAFT MISALIGNMENT
How do you go about correcting for shaft misalignment?

1. Factors that must be considered before starting any of the

alignment procedures.
2. Reverse-indicator alignment graphic analysis.
3. Face and rim alignment graphic analysis.
4. Across-the-flex-element graphic analysis

Factors to be considered before starting

Soft Foot. Soft foot occurs when the motor, is not sitting
flat on its base or it rocks. Now this rocking can be
eliminated by tightening all the hold-down bolts.
Coupling Center Member

Coupling center member.

Indicator Sag. Calibrate the dial indicator setup sag. In
other words, determine the difference in the dial
indicator reading when it is on top of a shaft as opposed
to when it is on the bottom. This is a gravitational effect.
It is not necessary to eliminate sag but rather to know
the amount of sag. The indicator setup should be as rigid
as practical, and then it should be calibrated.

Indicator sag.
Alignment Readings. It is suggested that the
dial indicator be zeroed at the top for
convenience. The coupling hub should be
marked at 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270° with a
reference mark on the equipment so that the
units can be turned through 90° increments.

This eliminates any runout that might exist

between the point at which the indicator rides
and the theoretical centerline of the shaft.
Now rotate the coupling in 90° increments,
recording all readings.
Thermal Growth. Now consider any thermal
growth values for the equipment. For example,
if the pump is pumping hot water, it will grow
vertically from the ambient to the hot running
condition.

The whole objective is to have the equipment in

good alignment when it is running under normal
operating conditions. These predicted thermal
movements can be obtained from the
equipment manufacturer and should be taken
into account before making the alignment
changes.
Shaft Relationship.
How do you easily
determine the
relationship of one
shaft center line
relative to the other?
It is hard sometimes
to visualize this.
Reverse Indicator

• To explain the reverse indicator alignment procedure,

a motor-to-pump example will be used. First, correct
the vertical misalignment by shimming, and then
correct the horizontal misalignment by sliding the
equipment from side to side.
1. The distance from the first indicator riding on the
pump hub to where the second indicator is riding on the
motor hub. In the example, this is 20 in.
2. The axial distance between the motor hub where the
second indicator is riding and the center of the motor
front foot. In the example, this is 20 in.
3. The distance from the center of the front motor feet
to the center of the back motor feet. In this example,
this is 40 in.
Typical alignment solution-motor stationary.
Typical alignment solution-pump stationary
Alignment solution indicating required corrections.
Face/Rim

• To explain the face/rim alignment procedure, a

motor-to-pump example will be used. First, correct
the vertical misalignment by shimming, and then
correct the horizontal misalignment by sliding the
equipment from side to side. With proficiency, these
two steps can be done together.
• Before starting the alignment work, determine which
piece of equipment is easiest to move. This is not to
eliminate the option of moving both units if a problem
occurs. The pump, in this example, will be fixed. The
motor will be moved into alignment with the pump.
 ACROSS-THE-FLEX ELEMENT

• When the distance between the disk packs is long, and where
it is not practical to try to span the distance with indicator
bracketry, the across-the-flex-element method can be used.
• To explain the across-the-flex-element alignment procedure,
a motor to a right-angle gear example will be used. First,
correct the vertical misalignment by shimming, and then
correct the horizontal misalignment by sliding the equipment
from side to side. With proficiency, these two steps can be
done together.
• Before starting the alignment, determine which piece of
equipment is easiest to move. This is not to eliminate the
option of moving both units if a problem occurs. The gearbox,
in this example, will be fixed. The motor will be moved into
alignment with the gearbox.
Across-the-flex alignment.
 References

Maintenance Engineering Handbook 7th Edition by Keith Mobley (Author),

Lindley Higgins (Author), Darrin Wikoff (Author), Publisher : McGraw-Hill
Professional; 7th edition (March 21, 2008), ISBN-10 : 0071546464, ISBN-13 :
978-0071546461
Thank You
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