Ruland Shaft Collars for Medical Applications Improve Holding Power

Ruland manufactures shaft collars from carefully specified raw materials with fine finishes, high holding power and precise face to bore perpendicularity, making them ideal for the demands of medical analysis equipment. Clamp style shaft collars are commonly used for guiding, spacing, stopping, and component alignment.

Medical analysis equipment manufacturers benefit from the tightly controlled face to bore perpendicularity of Ruland shaft collars (TIR of ≤ .002 inch or .05 mm) which is critical when the collar is used as a load-bearing face or for aligning components such as bearings or gears. Ruland clamp style shaft collars distribute compressive forces evenly around the shaft for a tight fit and improved holding power when compared to set screw style collars. Two-piece style collars offer increased holding power, in-place installation and disassembly, and are mated throughout the manufacturing process for proper fit and alignment.

Ruland shaft collars utilize fastening hardware that tests beyond industry standards for maximum torque capabilities and holding power. Shaft collars made from 303 or 316 stainless steel have hardware of like material for consistent corrosion resistance and to meet regulatory standards. All stainless steel hardware undergoes an in-house surface treatment process to prevent galling. Ruland uses a proprietary black oxide process on steel shaft collars to provide corrosion protection and ensure a smooth screw installation, increasing the transfer of clamping forces from the screw to the collar-shaft interface while preventing stick-slip. The Ruland name and bore size are stamped on every shaft collar for ease of identification.

Clamp style shaft collars from Ruland are available in 1215 lead-free steel with a black oxide or zinc plated finish, 303 and 316 stainless steel, 2024 aluminum with a bright or anodized finish, grade 5 titanium, and engineered plastic. They are machined to a fine burr-free finish that complements or enhances the appearance of medical analysis equipment. Ruland manufactures shaft collars in a variety of styles including standard round bore, thin line, quick clamping, double wide, threaded, and mountable, giving designers the flexibility to specify the product that best matches application requirements. They are offered in bore sizes ranging from 1/8 inch (3 mm) to 6 inches (150 mm).