Medical

Ruland manufactures one- and two-piece clamp style stainless steel shaft collars for applications with hygienic requirements, chemical cleaning procedures, and high temperature. Clamp style shaft collars do not mar the shaft, are infinitely adjustable, and have high holding power. Ruland 303 stainless steel shaft collars are the most common as they offer sufficient corrosion resistance for the requirements of lab analysis equipment. Environments that use highly corrosive chemicals to control bacterial contamination, such as self-cleaning spectrometers, may require the improved corrosion properties of 316 stainless steel shaft collars. All Ruland stainless steel shaft collars use hardware of like material for consistent corrosion resistance. Hardware is treated with a proprietary anti-galling coating allowing for repeated screw installations and easy disassembly.
Ruland shaft collars have precisely controlled face to bore perpendicularity (TIR ≤ .002" / .05mm) which is critical for proper alignment when the collar is used as a load-bearing face or mechanical stop. 303 and 316 stainless steel shaft collars are available in bore sizes ranging from 1/8” to 3” and 4mm to 50mm. Ruland manufactures shaft collars in our Marlborough, MA factory under strict controls using proprietary processes to ensure they have superior fit, finish, and holding power.

Ruland one- and two- piece clamp style rigid couplings are manufactured from a single piece of material with no flexing elements giving them the greatest torsional stiffness and torque capabilities of any coupling Ruland offers. This makes them ideal for applications such as microscope automation that require the highest degree of accuracy and repeatability. Stainless steel rigid couplings are also used in test and measurement, imaging, and liquid handling applications that have high torque and sanitary requirements. Ruland rigid couplings are manufactured from 303 stainless with hardware of like material. Hardware is treated with proprietary Nypatch® anti-vibration coating that allows for repeated insertions and provides the necessary dissimilar material to prevent galling.
Ruland manufactures stainless steel straight bore rigid couplings with precision honed bores to ensure collinearity for a precise fit and greater torque transmission capability. Collinear bores prevent the coupling from introducing misalignment into systems where it would not otherwise be present allowing for reduced wear on joined components and increased system efficiency. Ruland offers one- and two-piece clamp style with or without keyways in bore sizes ranging from 1/8” to 2” and 3mm to 50mm in straight bore and step bore combinations. Ruland manufactures rigid couplings in our Marlborough, MA factory under strict controls using proprietary processes.

Ruland 4- and 6-beam couplings are machined from a single piece of aluminum or stainless steel with multiple spiral (helical) cuts for greater torque, torsional stiffness, and parallel misalignment capabilities than commodity style single beam couplings. The 4-beam style (P- and MW-Series) has two sets of two beams allowing for greater flexibility and more compact lengths than 6-beam couplings. They are ideally suited for encoders and tachometers that have small sensitive bearings which require a coupling with low bearing loads. light duty power transmission applications such as pipetting or other small diagnostic equipment. The 6-beam style (F-series) has two sets of three beams for higher torque and torsional stiffness capabilities. They are commonly used in light duty applications such as connecting a stepper motor to a lead screw, which is often found in pipetting or other small diagnostic equipment. Ruland beam couplings have a zero-backlash balanced design for smooth operation up to 6,000 RPM.
Designers prefer aluminum beam couplings for their low inertia, flexibility and cost effectiveness. Stainless steel beam couplings are designed for applications with higher torque, but have significantly higher inertia that must be accounted for during machine design. Ruland beam couplings are available with clamp or set screw attachments in bore sizes ranging from 3/32” to ¾” and 3mm to 20mm. They are manufactured in our Marlborough, MA factory under strict controls using proprietary processes.

Ruland jaw couplings consist of two lightweight aluminum hubs and a center elastomeric element called the spider. Hubs are machined with a proprietary process to produce a curved jaw profile that press fits with the spider allowing for consistent zero-backlash operation. The spider dampens impulse loads to minimize shock to the motor and other sensitive system components such as bearings. This is particularly useful in applications with high acceleration/deceleration curves often found in optical inspection and analytical equipment such as chromatographers. The spider is available in three durometers allowing the designer to balance dampening capabilities with torque, misalignment and torsional stiffness based on the needs of the system.
Zero-backlash jaw couplings are considered fail safe because the spider serves as the wear element – if it fails the jaws of the two hubs interlock for continued power transmission. The application can then be safely shut down for maintenance rather than stopping suddenly. Spiders can be replaced to restore the original performance characteristics of the coupling leading to reduced maintenance costs when compared to other coupling styles that require complete replacement when at the end of their usable life. Bores are available in sizes from 1/8” to 1-1/4” and 3mm to 32mm. The three piece design lets the designer mix and match clamp or set screw hubs with inch, metric, or keyless bores making it easier to tailor the coupling to specific system requirements. Ruland jaw couplings are manufactured in our Marlborough, MA factory under strict control using proprietary processes.

Ruland oldham couplings are a three-piece assembly with a balanced design comprised of two anodized aluminum or stainless steel hubs and a center disk. Oldham couplings are manufactured with a proprietary machining process for smooth interaction between the hub tenons and disk allowing for the longest service life in the industry. Oldham couplings accommodate far more parallel misalignment (up to 10% of the outer diameter) than any other servo coupling offered by Ruland.
Oldham couplings are highly versatile because of the variety of hub and insert materials available. Designers can choose between acetal, Nylon, and PEEK disks to balance torsional rigidity, torque, environmental compliance, and misalignment capabilities. Aluminum oldham couplings are lightweight, cost effective, and offer low bearing loads. These properties make them useful in stop-and-go systems or scanning applications that prioritize rigidity. Stainless steel oldham couplings can be used in corrosive and chemical washdown environments when paired with a PEEK disk. This combination is useful in a variety of medical and lab analysis systems with strict hygienic requirements. In the event of coupling failure, the center disk will act as a torque limiter by breaking cleanly and ceasing power transmission, protecting expensive machine components and ensuring that sensitive materials are not mishandled.
Bore sizes are available from 1/8” to 1-1/8” and 3mm to 30mm. Oldham coupling hubs are available in clamp and set screw styles with or without keyways, allowing designers to mix and match hubs to fit different shaft types. All oldham couplings have a balanced, zero-backlash design for reduced vibration at speeds up to 4,500 RPM. They are manufactured in our Marlborough, MA factory under strict controls using proprietary processes.