Different power transmission accessories are subject to different trends, but some commonalities are developments in new materials, a stronger focus on customization and expansion into new industries.
Here’s a glimpse at the developments engineers and end users can expect to see from locking assemblies, wave springs, seals and shaft collars in 2015.
Certain applications put high stress on locking assemblies, mostly because of large bending moments. That certainly applies to those on conveyor pulleys. The problem is that such stress increases the risk of deformation.
Several companies are developing products to address the issue. For example, Ringfeder Power Transmission has developed a computer program for selecting locking assemblies with large bending moments. Edward Cole, engineering manager, said the computer model guarantees that a selected locking assembly will work in the end user’s specific application. Users can customize the computer model, selecting materials and geometry changes.
As far as new industries are concerned, Cole noted that a lot of these assemblies are currently going into the oil and gas industry, but continued sales will depend on barrel prices.
By design, wave springs are customizable for a variety of applications and manufactured using an edge coiled method. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is the size requests from engineers. “There has been a big push lately to miniaturize many different applications,” said Ben Moskalik, senior research and development engineer, Smalley Steel Ring Company. “Not only do people request shorter springs, but they need very small diameter wave springs.” Technological advances have let developers make wave springs smaller than 0.250 in. in diameter.
Relatively new wave-spring applications include those in footwear—in everything from high-performance running shoes to casual clogs. “Because metal springs do not break down the same way that foam rubber does, shoes with springs can provide more consistent performance and comfort over their useful life,” said Moskalik.
Luis Lorenzo, SVP, Technology and Innovation, Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies, attributes changes in sealing technologies to the ongoing focus on lowering emissions, improving fuel economy, using alternate fuels, vehicle electrification, and demands for greater system durability and lower maintenance, regardless of location and market segment. In response to these global trends, Freudenberg-NOK developed the Low Emission Sealing Solutions line that focuses on reducing emissions and powertrain friction.
Demands for higher wear resistance and longer service life, along with new developments in polymer science, are fueling changes in sealing materials. “Other changes, such as requirements for seals in aggressive new lubricant environments, are driving development of new elastomer formulations that may require new manufacturing processes,” said Lorenzo. Furthermore, more seals are being used in robotics and energy storage systems. Lorenzo gives Redox flow batteries and Lithium-ion batteries, which require the development of unique sealing solutions, as examples.
It appears that now, more than ever, designers, particularly in Europe and Asia, are becoming more familiar with shaft collars and their applications. “We’re seeing something of a worldwide shaft collar renaissance right now,”
said Bill Hewitson, VP of Operations, Ruland. In recognition of this, Ruland recently introduced an international series of collars that feature inch and metric bore sizes with metric screws. New materials in shaft collar design, such as 316 stainless steel, titanium, anodized aluminum and advanced plastics, give designers more flexibility in application. “Anodized aluminum gives customers additional corrosion resistance in a lightweight offering, while 316 stainless steel allows collars to be used more extensively in food, medical and marine equipment,” said Hewitson.
Arthur Stafford, founder, president and senior engineer of Stafford Manufacturing, said he’s seen growing use in consumer industries, such as fitness equipment, as well. On the distribution side, online sales of industrial products continue to grow, especially with the introduction of companies like Amazon Supply and Alibaba; however, this also raises a few concerns.
“The concern of manufacturers and distributors of shaft collars and the power transmission and motion control industries as a whole is the perceived commoditization of our product,” said Stafford.
Likewise, while new materials, sizes and styles give customers more options, the increased number of custom orders could pose problems for distributors. “It can be logistically challenging for distributors to integrate all the new products,” said Hewitson. “Many are not inventory type products and they (distributors) must rely on manufacturers to hold inventory or have quick turnaround times to satisfy customer needs.”