When should you have your Coupling serviced?
Coupling maintenance – definitely important, but why exactly?
Couplings are connections between the drive unit (e.g. motor) and the output unit (e.g. gearbox). Couplings are used in various areas. These include the marine, industrial, agricultural and energy sectors.
Without functional Couplings, ships would not sail. Machinery and systems would come to a standstill. Even the energy supply can only be guaranteed by properly functioning Couplings.
SERVICE LIFE OF A COUPLING
The Coupling is a wearing part of the drive. It does not need to be replaced very often. However, a few basic things should be taken into account to avoid premature clutch damage, as we described in our last blog post, which damage can occur to rubber elements. These included heat damage, external influences (oil, salt water, UV light) and incorrect adjustment of the Coupling. In addition, both the size of the rubber element and the rubber hardness must be selected correctly. Of course, normal wear and tear can also damage the Coupling.
Therefore, pay particular attention to the maintenance of the Coupling.
EXTEND THE SERVICE LIFE
You can extend the service life of your Coupling with regular maintenance.
But what does maintenance actually mean?
Maintenance is part of preventive maintenance. Other components include inspection and other preventive measures (preventive repair or preventive replacement of components).
A target/actual comparison is carried out during the inspection. If the actual value deviates from the desired target value, maintenance or replacement is carried out. The target state must be restored.
Maintenance therefore includes very specific care measures. This includes cleaning work, care work and adjustment. The aim is to minimize or completely avoid signs of wear.
MAINTENANCE WORK BY PMP
At PMP, we offer you various services so that you can enjoy a long-lasting Coupling. On the one hand, our services are aimed at customers who have purchased their Couplings from us. On the other hand, we also offer maintenance for couplings that were purchased externally and come from the manufacturers we manage. Our expertise lies in the area of these Couplings and we can meet our PMP quality standard.
Alignment control
An alignment check is intended to counteract uneven wear. After we have carried out an inventory of the drivetrain, we perform a laser-assisted alignment check in the event of deviations.
Spare parts supply
Replacing individual spare parts at the right time can save you a lot of money. This is because the targeted replacement of rubber or elastic elements minimizes the risk of major damage. This prevents a complete machine breakdown that could cause damage to you or your customer.
Cardan shaft overhaul
It is not only the Coupling and the gearbox that require regular maintenance. The cardan shaft may also need to be checked and in some cases overhauled.
When the Coupling is serviced, the damaged parts can be used to determine whether the cardan shaft is correctly aligned or defective. If we inspect the Coupling, you will receive a detailed damage report. This report will also explain that the problem is not necessarily the Coupling, but that other components can also cause damage.
Clutch reconditioning
We are also happy to recondition your Couplings. After successful reconditioning, you will receive a virtually new Coupling. The reconditioned Couplings are always assembled and tested by our technicians. The CENTAX – V clutch series and CENTASTART centrifugal clutches in particular can be reconditioned very well.
The following pictures show a CENTASTART centrifugal clutch. The left-hand side shows the CENTASTART before reconditioning, the right-hand side shows the CENTASTART Coupling after successful reconditioning.
If the damage is so “minor” that the Coupling can be overhauled, you will save a lot of time and money.
HOW OFTEN DOES YOUR COUPLING NEED TO BE SERVICED (COUPLING MAINTENANCE)?
A regular inspection of the Coupling is sufficient to protect your machines from major damage. Certain components should be replaced for safety reasons. The best time to do this is when your machines are less in operation.
In the marine industry, the winter months may be a good time. Similarly, in agriculture, when the ground is too hard to work on. The best time for maintenance is best determined by you.
IMPORTANT: If you have a STOP moment on your machine (sudden standstill due to external influences) or your Coupling makes a strange noise and does not run as it should, do not hesitate to have this checked in more detail. Such damage is often rectified more quickly than you think.
