Shaft Collars for Food Processing Equipment
Shaft collars are one of the most common components found on food processing equipment due to their variety of standard sizes, styles, and materials. Food processing equipment has different hygienic requirements depending on what part of the system the components are on. Ruland manufactures shaft collars in 1215 lead-free steel for high holding power in applications that do not have high hygienic requirements. For applications requiring high levels of corrosion resistance and/or chemical washdown Ruland manufactures 303 and 316 stainless steel shaft collars with hardware of like material. As a cost effective alternative in light duty applications, such as guiding and spacing, plastic collars are offered with stainless steel hardware.
Ruland manufactures the widest in-stock range of set screw and clamp style shaft collars allowing designers to select and procure the right part quickly. Set screw shaft collars affix to the shaft through a single forged set screw requiring the material of the shaft to be softer than that of the screw. They are best used in light duty applications such as guiding or spacing where the collar will not need to be adjusted or repositioned.
Clamp style shaft collars are an advancement over set screw type because they do not mar the shaft, are infinitely adjustable, and have increased holding power. They wrap around the shaft allowing for even distribution of clamping forces for higher holding power and a precise fit. Ruland maintains tight face to bore perpendicularity (TIR of ≤ .002" or 0.05mm) which is critical when the collar is used to align components on a shaft or used as an axial stop such as on a cylinder. They are manufactured in one- and two-piece clamp styles. Two-piece Ruland shaft collars are mated throughout the manufacturing process to ensure a precise fit and can be serviced in-place.
Ruland offers shaft collars for food processing equipment in bore sizes range from 1/8” to 6” or 3mm to 150mm. They are carefully manufactured in our Massachusetts USA factory to a fine burr-free finish.
