Teknic POWER4-HUB User Manual

C LEAR P ATH -SC U SER M ANUAL R EV . 1.36 94
T
EKNIC , I NC . T EL . (585) 784-7454
C ONNECTING C LEAR P ATH -SC TO A M ECHANICAL S YSTEM
ClearPath-SC motor must be connected to a mechanical system to do any
useful work, but it’s not always clear just how to connect the motor to the
rest of the machine.
Problems arise when a connecting element (such as a coupling) slips,
exhibits excessive backlash, or can not accommodate typical shaft-to-shaft
misalignments. Ultimately, the choice of shaft interface or coupling
depends on the application, whether a precision positioning stage or a low
speed conveyor.
The shaft interface (coupling, pulley, pinion, etc.) must be securely
clamped to the shaft with minimum backlash (ideally none). This primary
mechanical interface is critical in achieving and maintaining the best
possible performance from a servo motion system.
M OTOR C ONNECTION : G ENERAL T IPS AND G UIDELINES
• Align with care. When connecting two shafts—such as a
motor shaft to a screw shaft—the rotating centers must be
carefully aligned in both the angular and offset sense (including
offsets/adjustments for thermal growth) to achieve the best
possible motion quality and longest motor/bearing life.
Some couplings are more forgiving of misalignment than
others, but in general, misalignment will cause undesired
vibration/noise, shortened bearing life, and even broken motor
shafts.
• Use lightweight components. Aluminum couplings,
pinions, and pulleys add significantly less inertia to the motion
system than steel parts of the same size. In most applications,
lower inertia is preferable because it allows the motor (and
attached mechanics) to accelerate harder and move and settle
faster.
• Avoid using set screws. Coupling devices with set screws are
prone to failure and often become the weak link when joining a
motor to a load. Set screws deform the metal around the screw’s
point of contact, often resulting in a raised bur on the shaft that
can make it hard to remove and replace the coupling element.
Set screws also tend to slip and score the shaft.
• Tip: Couplings, pulleys and pinions with circumferential
clamping mechanisms tend not to damage motor shaft, hold
better, and are easier to replace than those that use set screws.

Teknic POWER4-HUB Specifications

General

Brand	Teknic
Model	POWER4-HUB
Category	Engine
Language	English