Oldham Couplings for Automation & Linear Motion
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, cleanroom, and vacuum environments when paired with a PEEK disk. This combination is useful for automation or linear systems in food processing applications. 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.
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.
