Torque Limiter
A torque limiter's main purpose is to protect mechanical devices from becoming overloaded during use. A torque limiter does this by simply limiting the torque which is exerted when carrying a load. The torque limiter is useful when it limits damage resulting from crash stops and jams. There are various packaging forms of a torque limiter. One of these is called a hub or Shaft Coupling. Torque-limiting devices such as these are also known as overload clutches.
There are various types of torque limiters. First, there is the shear (trimmed) pin type torque limiter which uses a pin in order to separate the shaft. Synchronous magnetic types, which carries on the job with the help of permanent magnets placed over each individual shaft with a gap in between. They act very quickly but there is a chance that they can cause more backlash compared to that of the mechanical types. Then there is the ball detent type. This type uses hardened balls to transmit force which rests over the shaft itself and held together in place by enforced springs. Finally there is a pall and spring type which works by holding a drive pawl alongside a specific notch - located inside the rotor.
Some more reasons attesting to the usefulness of a torque limiter are detailed upon in the following paragraphs.
The centric overload clutches ensures machine protection as well as less times for repairs during jamming load situations. Unlike many other types of torque limiter, this particular type of limiter provides an effective and quite accurate method of readjusting the torque.
Rotating systems often contain enough energy to cause a lot of damage when a system crashes. This resultant inertia varies based on the RPM and the total rotating mass of each system. A torque limiter can thus be categorized as a mechanical fuse which is used to turn off the machine in order to allow the energy to fade away smoothly and not damage the machine too much as a consequence.
A torque limiter would be most effective when placed as close to the source of the jam itself as possible. This allows the system inertia to be quickly disconnected from the jamming section. The device can then be allowed to come to a gradual stop and not cause further damage to the machine. It should be noted that a mechanical torque limiter requires lesser time to respond and provides much better protection.
To further categorize different limiters, there are different types of torque limiters in terms of torque-limiting types:
Firstly, there is the friction plate type. This type is quite similar to the friction plate clutch. Then comes the magnetic particle. This can be used almost as well as torque limiters can be. Lastly there is the magnetic hysteresis type.
A torque limiter is actually quite a useful tool, as it helps to ensure that a machine does not receive excessive damage when it faces an overload. Without its presence, these machines might become too damaged to be used properly again, or may require extensive require. Thus, in effect, this device is not only helping to keep the machines running properly but also ensures that the machines' durability is not damaged.
One should also remember that the market offers various types of torque limiters, so when planning to purchase one, a person has to be well aware of the different brands and models that are available, as well as their individual features. It is necessary to know the different traits of these machines, because not all of them will be suitable for every single machine. So, the customer should be aware of the effectiveness of each type of torque limiter and then make a rational purchase.
