Courtsey Kop-Flex

Emerson Power
Transmission Corp.
JRM11.PDF

Tvnes of Couoline Balance

Most Coupling manufacturers can and will supply couplings that are
brought into balance. Some coupling manufacturers have what they
call standard balancing procedure and practice. Extra charges maybe
made for balancing procedures other than their standard practices. For
example, some coupling manufactares prefer to component balance
only. The different types of coupling balance used by manufactures
are:
As Manufactured . Today most couplings are supplied as
manufactured with no balancing.
Controlled Tolerances and Fits. This usually provides the most

Figure 7. Component Balancing a Rigid (with a mandrel)

significant improvement in the potential unbalance of couplings. This

also can substantially increase the price of a coupling. It also is the
most difficult to explain, so one usually ask that the coupling be

Comnonent Balance With Some Subassemblv Balance. With

balanced anyhow.

this type of balance one can sometimes exceed the potential

unbalance of an assembly balanced coupling. This is particularly true

Component Balance. Can usually produce potential unbalanced

values equal to an assembly balanced couplings. It offers the

of couplinns
_ - that must have running clearances. One example of this
would be Gear Couplings. If they are assembly balanced they are

advantage of being able to replace components (as related to balance,

balanced with the radial clearance between the sleeve and hubs tight,

some couplings are not interchangeable for other reasons) without

and then after balance the tips (usually of the hub) are machined to

replacing the assembly. This technique is shown in Figure 6 & 7

provide the proper operational clearance. Thereby the balance is truly

upset. Whereas if one bolts the sleeves to its spacer, machines
rolling bands on the OD of the sleeves (concentric to the gear) and
then balance this subassembly and the two hubs, one gets a better
balanced coupling.
Component Balance With Selective Assemblv. Sometimes
offers the best possible balance attainable without field balancing on
the equipment. Parts are component balanced and then runouts (TIRs)
are checked. The highs of the TlR readings between controlling
diameters for mating parts are marked. At final coupling assembly the
high spots are assembled 180 deg out of phase. This tends to negate
eccentricities and reduces the potential unbalance of the coupling.
The parts are still interchangeable as long as replacement parts are

Figure 6. Component Balancing a spacer & a hub

inspected and marked for their TIRs.

(no mandrels)

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Figure 8. Assembly Balancing of a High Performance Disc Coupling.

Assemblv Balancing.- usually offers the best balance, but it

Field or Trim Balancing on the Eauinment - offers the best

usually expensive because it may require mandrels and/or fixtures

and of course usually the mostly way to balance a coupling because

that are made with extreme accuracy. The coupling is basically

of the trial and error and time involved. Usually one is balancing

ridgized with a mandrel or fixtures and balanced. For disc,

the entire train by making corrections on the coupling. This makes

diaphragm and some special types of gear couplings they can be

it impossible to change not only any part of the coupling of also of

locked rigid with various locking devices that are usually

the drive train without rebalancing

incorporated into the coupling design (Figure 8). The coupling is

rolled on rolling surfaces that are aligned or machined to the

COUPLING BALANCE SPECIFICATIONS

coupling bores or alignment pilots, This type of balance can usually

provide a better balance than can be achieved using a mandrel. This

A G M A

is because there is no added weight to the assembly when it is

The balance limit placed on a coupling should be its potential

balanced. On a very large or long coupling, a mandrel assembly can

unbalance limit and not its residual unbalance limit. The residual

weigh almost half of the weight of a coupling. This can introduce

unbalance limit usually has little to do with the true coupling

significant balancing errors. On assembly balanced couplings, parts

unbalance (potential). It can be seen in many cases that by cutting

cannot be replaced without the rebalancing of the coupling.

the residual unbalance limit in half, the coupling potential unbalance

Specification

may only change by five percent. The best method of determining

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