Ameridrives was contacted to fix the problem and ensure that it didn’t happen again. Gear couplings were initially installed on all the polymer pumps between the pumps and gearboxes in this high-torque, low-speed (50 rpm) application. However, keeping all the expensive gear couplings properly lubricated throughout their plants around the world proved to be a tough challenge.

After reviewing the situation, engineers recommended replacing the gear couplings with diaphragm couplings, which can run continuously and require no lubrication or maintenance (unlike gear couplings, which require maintenance at six-month intervals).

The couplings are typically used in high-performance, high-speed applications. In this instance, the Ameridrives team collaborated with industry experts to provide custom-designed diaphragm couplings to meet the resin pump requirements. Many custom couplings were delivered in a variety of sizes and configurations with torque ranges up to 1,100,000 Nm (10,000,000 in.-lb). One example is a 10-ft-long, 23-in.-diameter coupling that features specific split retaining rings on both the pump and gearbox end hubs, multiple convoluted diaphragm pack flex elements at each end, and a special spacer configuration for added stiffness in this dual output application. An integral indexing/timing device aligns the coupling with the mixing blades of the polymer pump.

Altra Industrial Motion
www.altramotion.com