Jaw Couplings for Semiconductor & Solar Applications
Ruland zero-backlash jaw couplings are a three piece assembly comprised of two lightweight aluminum hubs and an insert called the “spider.” Hubs are machined with a proprietary curved profile that press fits onto the spider for zero-backlash operation. The curved profile also concentrates the forces to the center of the spider’s limbs, improving the effectiveness of the material.
Spiders are available in three durometers, allowing designers to balance torsional rigidity, torque capacity, bearing loads, and dampening for their applications. The dampening characteristics of Ruland jaw couplings reduce settling time and shock loads in start and stop machine vision systems used in the semiconductor and solar industries, making them ideal for precision applications with high acceleration/deceleration curves. Jaw couplings are considered failsafe because if the spider fails, hubs interlock resulting in direct power transmission allowing the machine to be shutdown safely. Replacing the spider will restore the original performance characteristics of the coupling, significantly reducing maintenance costs when compared to coupling styles that require complete replacement.
Bore sizes are available from 1/8” to 1-1/4” and 3mm to 32mm. The three piece design allows the user to 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.
