The DJCFT range of composite tube disc
couplings has been designed using the
latest material technology - providing
lower mass and greater strength. This
type of unit was, originally, designed to
meet the requirements of cooling towers
but has since been adapted to meet the
requirements of many alternative
applications, specifically long vertical
pump and marine drives.
In addition to the disc coupling
applications, Bibby Turboflex have
developed the use of composite tubes in
a number of other areas. The tubes have
been designed and supplied for use in
hovercraft fans, performance car drive
shafts and high speed test beds.
The tubes are filament wound on
accurate mandrels using computer
controlled machinery. The resulting tube
is cured whilst on the mandrel.
This process leads to high accuracy with
regard to tube dimensions, roundness
and straightness all of which aid in the
ability of Bibby Turboflex to supply an
extremely high quality product. We have
supplied drive shaft systems in excess of
25 meters long.
Purpose developed software enables
Bibby Turboflex to offer tube with fibre
windings at angles adjusted to give the
optimum performance for specific lateral
critical, torque and torsional stiffness
requirements.
Bibby Turboflex have the option to wind
tubes using a variety of fibres, each of
which give specific advantages.
• Carbon Fibre – This is the principle
material giving a high strength / low
mass option for the tubes. This is
considered as the standard for the
DJCFT range of couplings.
• Glass Fibre – Glass fibre offers a low
cost solution for many applications of
moderate length. The mass to stiffness
ratio is less favourable than that for
Carbon Fibre but such units do have
applications to which they are ideally
suited.
• Carbon/Glass Mix – The fibre winding
approach adopted by Bibby Turboflex
enables us to combine these materials
to use the advantages of both to give
the optimum solution for a specific
application.
• High Modulus Fibre – Due to its high
cost and limited availability, the use of
high modulus fibre is generally only
adopted for the more extreme
applications to give optimum solutions.
The tubes are wrapped in a pigment
treated glass fibre layer, which serves to
protect them against physical damage
and Ultra-Violet degradation.
supplied by Bibby Turboflex for
performance car drive shafts and high
speed test beds.
Bibby Turboflex composite shaft couplings
are perfectly suited for driving cooling
tower fans. Their ability to operate over
long lengths without central bearings,
combined with their inherently low mass
and generous misalignment capacity,
keeps maintenance of the equipment to a
minimum. The maintenance free nature
of the Bibby Turboflex disc couplings
means the units become virtually
"fit & forget".
Bibby Turboflex composite shaft couplings
can be employed to great advantage in
deep well pump applications such as
encountered in water & sewage pumping
stations. Their ability to cover long spans
without the need for central bearings and
their inherent low mass can considerably
reduce maintenance costs on units. This is
something advantageous on remote
operated or inaccessible plants especially
in conjunction with the "fit & forget"
nature of the Bibby Turboflex disc
couplings.
Material & coatings can be varied to suit
the requirements of particular
applications.
Axial length adjustment can be
incorporated in the couplings in various
ways which, when coupled with the
generous misalignment capacity and ease
of assembly design, can reduce
installation time.
When necessary, thrust pins can be added
to the unit to support the mass of the
central spacer.
Bibby Turboflex composite shaft couplings
have been successfully utilised in marine
applications for both ships & hovercrafts.
The low mass and minimal vibration
levels, together with the ability to handle
long spans without support bearings,
have proved a benefit in many such
applications.
Special Applications
Bibby Turboflex disc couplings with
composite spacer shafts are used in many
special applications. Their low mass & low
inertia, coupled with the ability to adjust
the torsional & lateral characteristics of
the shaft during manufacture, have made
them applicable for many cases where
conventional couplings have been
inappropriate. Whilst the application for
these shafts is as wide as that for
couplings themselves, particular success
has been found in marine applications,
automobile drives and high speed engine
test beds.
Whilst the composite shafting is primarily
intended for use with Bibby Turboflex
disc couplings, it can equally well be
incorporated into any other of our wide
range of products.
The design is such as to make site
assembly as easy as possible.
The units can be supplied in standard
carbon steel with a variety of protective
coatings or, if required, in stainless steel.