A sprocket coupling is waiting on a workbench. Let’s say it’s there to sate an observer’s curiosity. The coupling is cylindrical and manufactured out of hardened steel. It’ll support a huge load when it’s secured, but we’re not yet sure how the fastening mechanism on the coupling operates. As a clue, there are several metal-edged […]
Non-engineering types aren’t aware of basic system design issues. And that’s okay, they shouldn’t ever need to know about such things. Instead, they make blanket assumptions. One such assumption imagines a need for high rotational velocities at all times. Speed reducers, a common feature in power transmission linkages, suggest there are applications where lower velocities […]
Conveyor bearings are specifically built to quietly facilitate linear belt motion. Arguably, they’re the central components in the system, so their mechanical characteristics are mirrored by a conveyor belt’s performance. Consequently, if these rolling elements interface efficiently between the equipment frame and the belt pulleys, then the product stream loaded on the belt will move […]
Excessive mechanical loads push bearings hard. The durable fittings, fabricated so that they satisfy the highest engineering standards, produce energy losses. Vibrating and squealing, the rolling elements suffer. Their parts are experiencing heat-induced fatigue. To solve this thermally potent action, engineers turn to other bearing forms, to materials and architectures that are designed to resist […]
Among a cluster of synchronized, quietly rotating mechanical parts, one shaft is emitting a bone-rattling squealing noise. Off the top of the maintenance engineer’s head, the bearing is probably running dry. The lubricating film is breaking down. That’s a good guess, one that might even hit the mark, but that supposition can’t be confirmed until […]