Non-contact clutches: a very clean affair

28 June 2010

Misumi Europa’s rollers and conveyor components product group now includes magnetic clutches that provide non-contact, low-wear, magnetic power transmission for transport devices installed in contaminant-sensitive environments such as clean rooms. Conveyors in clean rooms require transport devices that create as little dust as possible. The TM series magnetic clutches transmit rotary motion via magnetic interaction, so there is no physical contact between clutch faces and therefore minimal dust generation.

These magnetic drives are also extremely quiet in operation and may be run continuously, if the application requires it. And on the basis of the permanent magnet specification, it is possible to construct power-limited devices that can be operated continuously without causing damage to the conveyer or conveyed goods.

Two designs are offered. A 90 degree variant transfers power via two TM magnetic clutches arranged at right angles to one another, and in the parallel variant, the two clutches are located parallel to each other and function in opposing directions. The number of magnetic clutches required for the application will depend on the torque to be transferred, which is dictated by the conveyor loads. The number of components, the size of the clutch and the required torque are therefore all interdependent.

Misumi has simplified the selection process by providing a table in its mechanical standard components catalogue, which includes a complete list of all TM magnetic clutches with full specifications.