Zero-Max ServoClass Couplings Provide Reliability Benefits in Servo and Stepper Motor Applications

Zero-Max announced that its ServoClass Couplings provide important reliability and misalignment advantages in servo motor, and stepper motor driven applications. Demanding applications require a coupling that holds up to shock loads caused by rapid acceleration and deceleration, start/stop conditions, and torque reversals in these servo driven systems. According to Zero-Max testing and field experience, ServoClass Couplings provide the durability and reliability necessary for longer life and increased machine uptime in these applications compared to other coupling styles. 

“Misalignment between shafts on equipment exists in the form of angular, parallel (radial) and axial misalignment,” reports a Zero-Max spokesperson. “No matter how careful two shafts are aligned, they are never ‘perfectly’ aligned. Additional misalignment can also creep in over time from deflection due to torque loads and forces on the machine, machine wear, and eventual settling of the machine base. The ServoClass Coupling, within its ratings, handles these types of misalignments readily and easily.”

“The ServoClass Coupling’s misalignment advantage over bellows couplings will provide for a longer lifetime where the misalignment exists,” reports the Zero-Max spokesperson. “The reason is that, in most cases, the ServoClass Coupling is not as radially stiff as a bellows coupling which reduces the reaction loads on the connected components and stresses within the coupling itself. The ServoClass Coupling is designed to optimally handle torque, rotation, and misalignment simultaneously, thus providing longer life.”

“Jaw/spider couplings do not perform as well as ServoClass Couplings in demanding applications,” reports the Zero-Max spokesperson. “The reason is that the coupling’s spider element can deteriorate over time from heat and fatigue, shortening its lifetime. Also, jaw/spider couplings experience torsional windup in higher torque applications and have longer settling times when stopping higher inertial loads. This results in increased cycle times and reduced machine throughput. The ServoClass Coupling’s misalignment capacity and high torsional stiffness avoids these issues.”

These benefits make the Zero-Max ServoClass Couplings a better choice over jaw/spider and bellows style couplings in many demanding applications. They have a sleek, compact, and robust design that performs reliably in 24/7 servo motor applications. Proof of the ServoClass Coupling’s superiority is in their operating specifications available online.

There are nineteen sizes of standard off-the-shelf ServoClass Couplings. These couplings are ideal for automation applications, printing and packaging equipment, semi-conductor assembly, laboratory automation, medical equipment assembly, and for most products that use ball screws, linear actuators, and servo motors. Immediate shipment of most ServoClass Coupling popular bore sizes. Keyways and custom bores are also available with fast delivery, including bores for mounting on k6 and j6 tolerance shafts, commonly found on servo motors and precision gear reducers.