Beam Couplings for Medical Applications
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.
