The RENCOL® Slip Clutch

Both inline fixer and torque protector, the RENCOL® Tolerance Ring is a robust, consistent and space-saving slip clutch.

How Do RENCOL® Slip Clutches Work? 

As with any clutch, the RENCOL® slip clutch is there to protect two mechanical components from each other. The slip clutch controls the torque by slipping between the two mating components. If the torque is exceeded or the output drive receives a shock load, the tolerance ring allows the components to slip.

After the slip, the RENCOL® Tolerance Ring automatically resets. The machine or robot can simply carry on with its operation, uninterrupted and with no delays.

Easy to install, the RENCOL® Tolerance Ring slides coaxially into the drive assembly – there’s no need for any major overhauls to retro fit the ring.

The RENCOL® Tolerance Ring is made from quality carbon steel, stainless steel or alloys, and uses both spring force and friction to operate. Its corrugated wave construction provides the necessary radial force.

Why Use a Slip Clutch?

A slip clutch protects a system from damage caused by input shocks, unexpected blocks or end user error. Slip clutches are commonly found in electric motors for robotics and automotive systems such as belt drives, powered tailgate hinges and braking-assist systems.

The RENCOL® Tolerance Ring fixes two driven components together, transferring torque. If a threshold is exceeded, the ring allows the components to slip relative to each other, limiting the torque and protecting the system from damage.

Instead of wasting space with separate inline fixing and a slip clutch unit, the RENCOL® Tolerance Ring does both jobs. You’ll save space, reduce weight and cut your costs.

When designed into a system, the RENCOL® Tolerance Ring allows engineers to create lighter and less bulky systems. This is because the lighter components are protected from overload by the tolerance ring.

During daily operation, the RENCOL® Tolerance Ring helps to provide smooth operation, reducing vibration and noise.

Torque Overload Protection For Individual Systems

The RENCOL® Tolerance Ring is custom designed to the optimal torque level, rather than having to choose a level.

Tolerance ring designs for 0.2 Nm to 300 Nm torque range and beyond are possible (depending on the physical dimensions and strength of the individual system).

Figure 1: These are theoretical guidance values for typical tolerance ring configurations. It is possible to have applications outside these limits – please contact us to discuss.

Some applications require consistent torque over a large number of slip cycles. The RENCOL® Tolerance Ring can be designed to reduce torque-drop over multiple slip cycles, giving a consistent performance for the life of the system.

Figure 2: Typical torque performance of a 50mm diameter tolerance ring on a steel shaft over 5000 slip cycles.

The Design of a RENCOL® Slip Clutch

A tolerance ring isn’t just a stand-alone component – it’s part of a larger system. RENCOL® Tolerance Rings are created by our engineers to suit your individual application; however, all our rings share the wave-based structure.

The ring is designed so the top of the waves embed slightly into the mating component, while the base of the waves acts as the slip surface. The wave compresses to provide a radial force, which acts as the spring force that provides the friction between the components.

Depending on the system, the RENCOL® Tolerance Ring can be designed to slip onto the shaft or bore. Coating the ring with a proprietary dry lubricant eliminates the need for manual greasing.

Designed By Engineers For Engineers

One size doesn’t fit all. Each RENCOL® Tolerance Ring is designed in collaboration with our customers, engineer to engineer.

Each slip clutch is tested inhouse, using the correct mating components and under accurate conditions, to ensure that it’s 100% compatible with your system. You can have complete confidence in every component we create for you.

Savings in Torque Slip Applications

Torque slip devices -- or slip clutches -- can be complicated systems with many components. A RENCOL® Tolerance Ring solution uses one component in-line with the mating components to reduce weight, space and overall cost.

Torque slip devices come in many forms such as: magnetic clutch, friction slip devices, and ball detent devices. Compared to a RENCOL® Tolerance Ring, all of these devices require more space to reach similar levels of torque.

The space saving for tolerance rings is enabled because tolerance rings work as an inline fixing between the driving and driven components. This means there is no need for an extra slip-clutch unit which takes up more space and weight.

How We Make a Big Difference

A Tolerance Ring isn’t just a stand-alone component; it is an integral part of a larger system that means a detailed, knowledge-based approach is needed for tolerance ring design. That is why a RENCOL® Tolerance Ring is designed in collaboration with our customers, engineer to engineer. This process is made more powerful by using our FEA capabilities along with in-house testing to analyze the system, with mating components included and under key conditions. This means that we and our customers can have confidence in the solutions we provide.

Benefits of the RENCOL® Slip Clutch

•    Protects system from shock
•    Reduces system inertia and increases responsiveness
•    Reduces noise and vibration
•    Space-saving – acts as both infix and torque protector
•    Small installation envelope
•    Provides consistent torque over multiple slip cycles, preventing drop
•    Automatic resetting – no wasted time
•    Design into system or retro fit
•    Each ring individually custom-made