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Coupling Failure Analysis - Jaw Couplings (Includes Hub & Spider Photos) - Coupling Answers - Where The World Turns For Coupling Knowledge
Coupling Failure Analysis - Jaw Couplings (Includes Hub & Spider Photos) - Coupling Answers - Where The World Turns For Coupling Knowledge
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Jaw couplings are an incredibly robust and popular solution for transmitting torque between two
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shafts. With tens of millions of applications currently running around the world using jaw couplings,
this coupling type is one of the most trusted power transmission devices on the planet... however,
like almost anything else, they can and do fail. When they do, whatever the application is and
whatever corner of the world you may be in, it is important to be able to quickly understand why the
coupling failed... as well as what needs to be done to ensure your application is safely up and
running as soon as possible. Why a Grid Coupling -
Features & Benefits, Design
Fortunately, not only are jaw couplings robust, cost effective, Basics, and Element
popular, and straight forward to use… but they are also fairly straight Options
forward to trouble shoot if/when they fail. The reason jaw couplings
are straight forward to trouble shoot is because jaw coupling failures
often leave behind a telltale “signature”. (These "signatures" are why
coupling application engineers are particularly quick to request Clearance vs Interference
photographs when trying to root cause a failure with a client.) Fit Couplings - Which Hub
Fit is Better?
This post will explore the most common jaw coupling "signature" failure modes, and hopefully help
you get started in identifying and correcting any jaw coupling failures you may come across. All
failures discussed in this post will fall into one of five categories: normal wear, torque overload
failure, misalignment failure, environmental failure, or vibration failure. API 671 Coupling Standard
(Note: This post does not address manufacturer quality failures, such as casting defects or poor Cutting Keyways -
elastomer quality. It is important to remember that interchangeable products do not mean Broaching, Keyseating,
equivalent quality, so it is important to source your couplings from a trusted industry leader.) Wire-Cut EDM, Shaping, &
Milling
Should you care to learn more about jaw coupling basics before carrying on with failure modes,
please check out: Jaw Coupling Overview - Features & Benefits, Design Basics, and Element
Options.
What do Lovejoy jaw
coupling numerical sizes
Normal Wear stand for?
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►
► September (7)
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Though fail-safe by design, when jaw couplings are hit with a large enough over-torque, jaw
coupling hubs can and do fail catastrophically. (This would a good time to remind you that OSHA
requires coupling guards for all flexible coupling applications. Please be safe.)
When a jaw coupling hub fails catastrophically, it will typically fail
either by shearing at the jaw legs (pictured at right), or by crack
open between the inside bore and outside diameter of the hub
(generally along the keyway, as pictured below). Coupling hubs
generally cracking along the keyway because there is less metal
between the keyway and the outside diameter of the hub than at
any other spot of the inner bore. The keyway is the weak link,
and, specifically, the corners of the keyway are the weakest link
inside the keyway. This failure mode is common to a large
number of coupling types, and generally referred to as a
"keyway burst".
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The two pictures above represent a classic "keyway burst". The burst occurred at the corner of the
keyway, with the crack then being mirrored 180 degrees from that keyway corner on the other side
of the hub. (The picture at left also highlights that the crack split through the setscrew hole. With
clearance fit bores, a set screw hole generally needs to be inserted over the keyway, making the
keyway just that much more of a weak link.)
Misalignment Failure
(Note: Misalignment is very hard on a power transmission system, including on the system's
bearings, and can lead to premature system failure. It should be minimized whenever possible...
irrespective of if the coupling can handle it or not. A future post will cover shaft alignment in depth,
but using a dial indicator kit is a cost effective approach for aligning couplings... especially when
they come paired with a free calculation app. Laser alignment systems can be even more precise,
but are generally much more expensive.)
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Environmental Failure
On temperature... pushing an
elastomer outside its rated
temperature range, can and will lead to
premature spider failure. While these
failures can look similar to an over-
torque, if caught early enough, they
can also be identified by cracks in the
elastomeric spider's legs. (Hint: If no
suitable spider can be found to handle the temperature of the system, consider looking into all
metallic couplings... which are broadly summarized in this article: Flexible Coupling Basics - A
Quick Primer).
On chemical failures... if an
elastomeric spider is in contact with
chemicals that it is not compatible with,
the spider will generally rapidly
deteriorate and fail, sometimes
breaking off in pieces. Coupling
manufacturers will generally include
compatibility guidelines in their
catalogs for each elastomer material
relative to traditional chemicals that a
coupling may come in contact with.
Vibration Failure
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frequency, the elastomeric element will overheat (failing to dissipate all the heat being created as it
attempts to absorbing/dampening the natural frequency vibrations)... leading to the elastomeric
spider oozing.
If this article did not help you better understand a jaw coupling failure and you still have questions,
please give us a call or send us an email (with photos) so we can help you trouble shoot further.
Alternatively, if this article was helpful for... we'd love to know that as well, so please leave us a
note at the bottom of the page.
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And if you liked this article, but you'd like to get a "second opinion" from another source... we
recommend you check out the Mechanical Power Transmission Association's Common Causes of
Jaw Coupling Failure publication. (Note: We are an active part of this association, and did play a
significant role in drafting the document. You will find its advice to be largely similar to this post,
though certainly presented in a much more formal manner.)
For a deeper dive into jaw couplings, we recommend reading: Jaw Coupling Overview -
Features & Benefits, Design Basics, and Element Options.
Linkwithin
Labels: broke coupling, coupling failure, cracked coupling, damaged coupling, destroyed coupling, jaw coupling, jaw
coupling failure, jaw failure, lovejoy failure, spider failure
6 comments:
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Sound advice indeed. jbj Techniques have a useful chart to help in these circumstances
http://www.jbj.co.uk/couplingelementchart.html
Reply
Thanks for the props James, and best regards to you and the rest of your jbj Techniques team (a
very knowledgeable Lovejoy distributor) across the pond in the UK.
Reply
Reply
Replies
James, assuming the heat is coming from the coupling (and not an external source)...
shaft misalignment would be the culprit. When subject to misalignment, the elastomeric
flexing "spider" is designed to accommodate it (to its catalog ratings), but, in doing so,
absorbs energy which is then transferred into heat. By minimizing shaft misalignment,
you will minimize the amount of heat generated in the coupling... allow your system to
run more efficiently... and likely get more life out of your elastomeric flexing "spider"
element.
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Hi CJames K, and thanks for the feedback! Given your level of understanding on the
topic... we have not taken what you would consider a deep dive into shaft alignment...
though we have hit on the topic in 3 or 4 lighter posts like the following one comparing
dial and laser alignment (http://www.couplinganswers.com/2014/12/shaft-laser-
alignment-3-benefits-over.html). Regarding testing, we actually do quite a bit of testing
in our test lab to simulate all types of environments... but spider life (or any coupling
life) is notoriously difficult to predict because (as I'm sure you know) so many
environmental factors (which generally are not static) come into play. If you are a
reliability guy... we certainly advocate laser or dial indicator alignment
(http://www.couplinganswers.com/2014/10/top-reason-for-coupling-failure.html), and if
you are an OEM or end user and would like further follow up with one of our
application engineers, please don't hesitate to holler (http://www.lovejoy-
inc.com/support/).
Reply
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