Coupling

Types
Shaft Coupling - Shaft couplings are those mechanical hardware that are used in machinery to provide connection of shafts units that have been manufactured separately. Providing misalignment to the shafts and reducing the transmittal of shock loads, are some of the facets of shaft coupling.

Flexible coupling - The role of flexible coupling in mechanical industry is the transmission of torque while permitting radial and axial misalignment. This type of coupling can accommodate angular misalignment up to a few degrees and some parallel misalignment as well.

Jaw coupling - Jaw couplings are known to absorb incidental misalignment, shock loads and small amplitude vibrations. They are designed in a manner to transmit torque while damping system vibrations, which protects other components from damage.

Gear coupling - Gear couplings are mechanical devices that transmits torque between two shafts that are essentially non coaxial. This coupling comprises a flexible joint that is fixed to each shaft and are the connected to a third shaft called spindle.

Fluid coupling - Categorized as a hydrodynamic device, fluid coupling is used when there is a need to transmit rotating mechanical power. Widely used in automobile transmission it serves as an effective alternate to clutch.

Disc coupling - Disc coupling in termed as a high performance motion control coupling that is patterned to be the torque transmitting element even while accommodating for shaft misalignment.

Rigid coupling - Rigid coupling is a type of coupling hardware that is used to align shafts in case it is harnessing the performance of the coupling. Some examples of rigid coupling include universal coupling and resilient coupling.

Hose coupling - The hose coupling is referred to the metal piece on the end of a hose that is used to connect it to extra hose or hose appliances. Ordinarily made of steel or brass the hose coupling is available in several different styles.

Materials
Mechanical couplings are made up of several different materials. Stainless steel, acetal, polypropylene, chromed brass and polysulfone are some of the basic materials that are incorporated to manufacture these elements of mechanical hardware.

Applications
Couplings are an important device in the mechanical hardware segment. They are used in machinery for several purposes like to provide misalignment of the shafts or to introduce mechanical flexibility and also to alter the vibration characteristics of rotating units. These couplings are also used in automotive and any industry where there is a need of connecting prime movers to driven item. Power plants, refineries, and large process plants also use various types of coupling for better performance.