Oldham Couplings for Semiconductor & Solar Applications
Ruland oldham couplings are a three-piece assembly comprised of two anodized aluminum or stainless steel hubs and a center disk as the torque transmitting element. Hubs are manufactured in clamp and set screw style with inch, metric, keyed, or keyless bores. Designers can choose between acetal for zero-backlash and high torque, nylon for dampening and noise reduction, and PEEK for high temperature, corrosion resistance, and low outgassing. This level of variety allows for the oldham coupling to easily be specified throughout the machine based on the performance requirements of each application.
Aluminum oldham coupling hubs are lightweight, cost effective, and have low inertia. These properties make them useful in stop-and-go systems that require precise motion control such as in wafer handling. Stainless steel oldham couplings can be used in corrosive, high temperature, and vacuum environments when paired with a PEEK disk. Designers do need to consider that the use of stainless steel has increased mass resulting in higher inertia than aluminum hubs. All hubs undergo a proprietary machining process allowing for smooth interaction with the disk resulting in the longest service life in the industry.
Ruland oldham couplings can accommodate up to 10% of the coupling outer diameter in parallel misalignment while maintaining low bearing loads and zero backlash operation. They have a balanced design for reduced vibration at speeds up to 4,500 RPM. Oldham couplings can act as a torque limiter because if the disk fails it will break cleanly and cease power transmission, potentially protecting expensive machine components. Bore sizes are available from 1/8” to 1-1/8” and 3mm to 30mm.
