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R+L Hydraulics GmbH presents hydraulic tanks of nominal size NG130 made of cast aluminum. The oil tanks are unpainted, stackable and easy to handle thanks to their low weight. They are characterized by a high cooling capacity.

The nominal size NG130 aluminum containers have a usable volume of 123 l. “This is unique in the field of aluminum tanks,” says Patrick Laupitz, who is responsible for sales in the hydraulics sector at the fluid and drive technology specialist in Werdohl in the Sauerland region. Thanks to the calculated thin-walled tank design, the NG130 has an “integrated” cooling capacity of 2.1 kW at D t = 40° C. “This means that the use of an oil cooler can be dispensed with in many applications,” says Laupitz. “Further advantages are the low weight of just 25 kg, the easy handling and the stackability of the containers. This not only saves transportation costs, but also storage space.”

In addition to the large hydraulic tanks, R+L Hydraulics offers other sizes from a usable volume of 3 liters. All tanks are optionally available with accessories such as lids, oil level indicators, cast feet, castors and filling and ventilation filters. Baffle plates are also available for the NG130.

R+L Hydraulics develops, produces and sells a wide range of components for fluid and drive technology, including other hydraulic accessories and industrial couplings such as torsion and jaw couplings, bellhousings, damping elements, heat exchangers and coolers. The products are used in a wide variety of applications in mechanical engineering, shipbuilding and vehicle construction, energy and environmental technology, in the steel industry and offshore technology as well as in special applications in plant engineering.

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View inside the NG130 aluminum tank from R+L Hydraulics with accessories

The Quick Flex couplings from Lovejoy, manufactured by R+L Hydraulics in Werdohl, are now optionally available with seals that prevent the ingress of dirt and dust in particularly critical areas of application. In addition to the sealed version, the couplings are also available in an Ultratemp version for temperatures up to 177 °C. The couplings are available with shortened hubs for confined installation spaces.

In contrast to other frequently used solutions, the Quick Flex coupling does not require any oil or grease, so there is no need for checking or relubrication.

High damping and reliable torque transmission
Four elastomer elements in three degrees of hardness are available for the Quick Flex couplings, enabling both high damping and reliable torque transmission. The couplings cover continuous torques from 43 Nm to 902.5 kNm and peak torques up to 1800 kNm. They are available with bore diameters from 10 mm to 500 mm and with or without spacers for shaft distances from 25 mm to 3000 mm. Different bore types and designs can be realized individually.

Elastomer couplings for harsh environmental conditions
Elastomer couplings are used for power transmission in drive systems. They reduce the load on surrounding components such as roller bearings and dampen shocks that occur during operation and stress the entire drive train. The Quick Flex series was specially designed for harsh environmental conditions, such as those found in steel and metal works, lime kilns, crushers and mills in mining, sawmills and similar applications.

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View of a flexible Quick Flex coupling size QF3150 from R+L Hydraulics with the optional seal.

R+L Hydraulics GmbH presents couplings from the Spidex HighTemp and UltraTemp series, which have been specially developed for high-temperature applications. The flexible claw couplings are durable and resistant and are characterized by high temperature and hydrolysis resistance.

“Spidex flexible claw couplings offer reliable performance even under extreme conditions. They are the result of years of experience and continuous development,” says Detlef Peick, Business Development Manager at R+L Hydraulics. The exceptional temperature and hydrolysis resistance of the UltraTemp series enables it to be used at continuous operating temperatures of up to 180 °C – “a unique selling point in the industry”, says Peick. The three-part couplings are axially pluggable, fail-safe and maintenance-free, making them the ideal choice for demanding environments, for example in steelworks, lime kilns, drying plants and marine applications.

Thanks to the use of high-temperature resistant elastomer spiders, Spidex couplings are particularly durable and resistant to frequent temperature changes. This reduces downtimes and leads to longer maintenance intervals and higher system availability, which has both economic and ecological benefits. “The increased temperature resistance of our elastomer spiders makes it possible to use Spidex couplings reliably in processes with thermal processing steps,” explains Peick. “The ageing resistance of the HighTemp and UltraTemp spiders with frequent temperature changes contributes significantly to the longevity and reliability of the systems.”

Another advantage of Spidex couplings using UltraTemp spiders is their superior resistance to hydrolysis. This means that they can be used in humid environments, including seawater, and are therefore also suitable for marine applications and use in high humidity environments.

Depending on size and use, the couplings are designed for applications with up to 11,000 Nm nominal torque and a maximum torque of 22,000 Nm, which also makes them ideal for difficult tasks. “This superior performance, combined with excellent damping and the ability to compensate for high radial misalignment, sets new standards in the industry,” says Peick.

“R+L Hydraulics relies on transparent and comprehensible information on the temperature range in which the HighTemp and UltraTemp series can be used,” emphasizes Peick. “Some suppliers advertise with unclear information and the maximum temperature specifications are often misleading. Our customers can rest assured that our products reliably fulfill the promised properties.”

R+L Hydraulics, based in Werdohl in the Sauerland region of Germany, is a subsidiary of the US coupling specialist Lovejoy LLC; both companies are part of the Timken Company. In addition to Spidex couplings, R+L Hydraulics develops, produces and sells a wide range of components for fluid and drive technology, including other industrial couplings and hydraulic accessories such as bellhousings, damping elements, cooling bellhousings, heat exchangers, coolers and hydraulic tanks. The products are used in a wide variety of applications in mechanical engineering, shipbuilding and vehicle construction, energy and environmental technology, in the steel industry and offshore technology as well as in special plant engineering applications.

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View of a flexible claw coupling from the Spidex 100 series from R+L Hydraulics with white UltraTemp spider for high-temperature applications

R+L Hydraulics GmbH presents cooler bellhousings of the KPV series. The cooler bellhousings feature a compact design and boast top cooling performance while withstanding high pressure peaks of up to 16 bar long term. Available in various designs, they are compatible in accordance with VDMA 24 561.

Cooler bellhousings are damping connecting elements between the electric motor and hydraulic pump in combination with an oil-air cooler. They are very popular within the oil hydraulics sector. Specialised in hydraulic components and power transmission products, R+L Hydraulics supplies compact coolers of the KPV series, providing the user with crucial benefits: “Our top priority in the development of this series was to the integrate a cooling element which withstands dynamic pressure loads without loss of cooling power,” says Patrick Laupitz, head of the domestic sales team at R+L Hydraulics. “According to the requirements of users and by means of dynamic fatigue strain tests, we have developed a prismatic cooling element which continually withstands pressure peaks of up to 16 bar.”

Prismatic cooling elements provide a high cooling performance in the KPV series. “R+L Hydraulics was the first manufacturer to equip catalogue cooler bellhousings with prismatic standard cooling elements,“ says Laupitz. “While the first cooler bellhousings available on the market were usually equipped with a finned tube as a heat exchanger, which – aside from the unsatisfactory cooling power – limited this mainly to leakage oil cooling, the application of prismatic cooling elements is state-of-the-art today.” The prismatic cooling elements allow the coolers to be installed into the mainly pressureless return line. “In certain configurations, however, pressure peaks can occur that cannot be determined with conventional pressure measuring devices,” explains Laupitz. “For example, this is often the case when a pressurised cylinder is relieved in milliseconds towards the return line by an electromagnetic valve. Due to inertia and friction, it is often impossible to protect the cooler from occurring pressure peaks, which has in the past led to occasional breakdowns of the heat exchanger due to recurring pressure peaks. This is now a thing of the past in the KPV series.“

Cooler bellhousings of the KPV series are available for manufactured motor sizes of 80 to 180l in noise-damping versions and can be combined with foot brackets. „Full interchangeability of the installation dimensions in accordance with VDMA 24 561 is another essential benefit“, says Laupitz, “in fact, not only according to the installation length but also to the attachment position of the foot bracket.“

Besides cooler bellhousings, R+L Hydraulics develops, manufactures and sells a wide range of components for fluid and power transmission products, including industrial couplings and hydraulic accessories such as torsional and jaw couplings, bellhousings, damping elements, heat exchangers, coolers and hydraulic tanks. The products are used in a wide variety of applications in mechanical engineering, ship and vehicle construction, in the steel industry and offshore technology as well as special applications in plant engineering.

The extreme environmental conditions in steel processing place high demands on the components used. Quick Flex elastomer couplings by Lovejoy, manufactured by R+L Hydraulics GmbH in Werdohl, Sauerland, are used in a steel plant operated by a well-known European steel and technology group. These couplings ensure torque transmission for the drive of roller conveyors in the hot rolling mill. The temperature-resistant couplings are low-wear and low-maintenance, helping to minimize downtime.

In steel processing, the liquid pig iron produced in the blast furnace is converted into crude steel in converters at the steel plant. The crude steel is then cast into long slabs, known as blooms, in continuous casting systems. These blooms are then rolled and formed into coils of flat or wire steel. For transporting the glowing blooms, which are about 10 meters long and weigh 25 tons, roller conveyors are used. Due to their high temperatures, the blooms must not come to a standstill, as this would damage the transporting rollers. The material must therefore be kept moving on the rollers until it has cooled or the next processing step begins.

Here, the reliability of the components plays a crucial role:
“If a coupling on the roller conveyor fails, it may be possible to continue operating until the next scheduled stop, but this carries the risk of damaging the roller,” says Detlef Peick, Business Development Manager for couplings at R+L Hydraulics in Werdohl. “This ultimately results in longer downtimes during later repairs or costs due to roller replacement. If the roller conveyor is taken out of operation, roller damage is avoided, but a bottleneck is created in the rest of the production line, as the subsequent system section cannot be used.”

To date, gear couplings are typically used in such applications. This type of coupling has excellent properties for accommodating shaft misalignments, which occur due to prevailing temperature fluctuations. At the same time, these couplings can reliably transmit high torques.
“However, gear couplings also have many disadvantages,” says Detlef Peick. “They require regular lubrication, and inspecting their condition involves laborious disassembly. If the coupling hubs or sleeve body need to be replaced, the gearbox and possibly even the electric motor must be removed before the components can be exchanged. All of this work takes time—time that can become very costly in such an application.”

This is where Quick Flex elastomer couplings come into play, offering torque transmission capabilities comparable to gear couplings. The design of the Quick Flex coupling, with opposing but non-interlocking teeth, avoids metal-to-metal contact and the resulting wear. At the same time, this design allows the elastomer element used for torque transmission between the teeth to be easily inserted from the outside. After loosening just a few screws, it can be inspected or replaced in no time. This is made possible by easily removable covers optimized for different applications, allowing easy access to the coupling.

“In this way, it is very easy to always keep a good overview of the condition of the couplings without having to shut down the system for extended periods,” says Detlef Peick. “Inventory requirements are also significantly reduced, as it is no longer necessary to stock complete couplings, only the much cheaper elastomer inserts. In the event of a failure despite the ease of inspection and maintenance, production can potentially continue without endangering the roller. A destroyed elastomer element interrupts the power flow, allowing the roller conveyor to continue operating. At the next opportunity, the elastomer part can be replaced in just a few minutes without moving the gearboxes or drives.”
Since the couplings do not require lubrication, regular oil checks and refills are also eliminated. The elastomer inserts of the Quick Flex couplings are available in three hardness levels and a high-temperature-resistant material. The temperature-stable material offers greater protection against overheating if a bloom remains on the roller conveyor longer than planned.

The Quick Flex series couplings were specifically designed for harsh operating conditions, meeting high demands while requiring only minimal maintenance. In addition to the steel processing application described here, the couplings are also suitable for use in mining, the oil and gas industry, as well as the food, pulp, and paper industries—anywhere extreme environmental conditions place the highest demands on components.

R+L Hydraulics GmbH now also produces LK series torsion couplings in Werdohl in the Sauerland region. The drive technology and hydraulics specialist are a subsidiary of the US clutch manufacturer Lovejoy LLC, which has further expanded its European site with production in Germany. The torsion clutches in the LK series are ideal for use in mobile hydraulics: they are used in diesel, petrol or natural gas engines that drive one or more flange-mounted hydraulic pumps. Typical applications include excavators, vibratory rollers, loaders, cranes, passenger elevators, forklifts and tractors. The LK torsion coupling is a stable, two-part coupling consisting of an element or a flywheel adapter and a hub for shaft connection. The couplings are very torsional stiff and enable hydraulic pumps and similar units with low mass or inertia to be operated below the critical speed. They can be used in all motor-driven hydrostatic applications in the low to medium power range. LK torsion couplings are maintenance-free and are characterized by their low weight, high torsional stiffness, and long service life. Their performance spectrum covers the range from 125 to 6,000 Nm. The hubs can be modified in shape and length, and different flange positions are possible. Various series for standardized SAE flywheels and non-standardized flywheels are available. R+L Hydraulics offers application support and on-site assessment for the respective applications. www.rl-hydraulics.com.

Hydraulics GmbH has expanded its product portfolio to include measuring couplings. The new measuring couplings from the hydraulic and drive technology specialist are suitable for pressure testing, lubrication.

Lubrication, venting and oil removal in a wide range of mobile and stationary hydraulic applications in areas such as industry, construction machinery, agricultural machinery, marine, energy and environmental technology, mechanical engineering, automotive and rail vehicles.

Measuring couplings are suitable for both original equipment and retrofitting. S offer service personnel and users of hydraulic applications the simple and safe option of monitoring system pressure, bleeding the hydraulic system, analyzing the degree of contamination and taking representative fluid samples – both temporarily and permanently. Thanks to the integrated non-return valve, this work can be carried out at pressures of up to 630 bar without the system having to be shut down.

The measuring couplings are available in various materials such as stainless steel. They are suitable for all hydraulic and mineral oils; they can be equipped for other media on request. The seals are available in various designs and materials to meet a wide range of requirements and prevent oil leaks: seals made of nitrile rubber NBR are characterized by high resistance to mineral oils and are suitable for a temperature range from -30°C to +125°C; seals made of the fluor elastomer Viton have high thermal and chemical resistance and can be used from -25°C to +230°C.

Tailored to the respective application, the measuring couplings are available with differentthreads and in various designs, e.g. with a riser tube, union nut, as a bulkhead.

The range is supplemented by pressure gauges, measuring hoses, hose fittings and protection valves.

The range is supplemented by pressure gauges, measuring hoses, hose fittings and protection valves.

“We are delighted to have taken another forward-looking step as a full-range supplier of quality components for fluid and drive technology by expanding our product portfolio,” says Timo Weber, General Manager of R+L H Hydraulics GmbH. “The continuous expansion of our range of services represents an important component of the strategic business expansion in the Timken Group, in that we are always at the side of our demanding customers from a wide range of industries with new and individual product solutions and they can rely on R+L as a high-performance system partner in the long term.”

In addition to the new test couplings, R+L H Hydraulics develops, produces and distributes a wide range of components for fluid and drive technology, including

Industrial couplings and hydraulic accessories such as claw couplings, cooling pump and bellhousings, damping elements, aluminum tanks, heat exchangers and coolers. The products are used in a wide variety of applications in mechanical engineering, shipbuilding and vehicle construction, energy and environmental technology, the steel industry and offshore technology as well as in special plant engineering applications.