• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

800.323.5725

Contact Us

GMN Bearing USA

GMN Bearing USA

  • Precision Bearings
    • Angular Contact Bearings
      • S Series: Angular Contact Bearings
      • SM Series: Angular Contact Bearings
      • KH Series: Angular Contact Bearings
      • Lubricated High-Speed Ball Bearings
      • Selection Choices for Angular Contact Bearings
    • Radial “Deep Groove” Bearings
      • Radial Ball Bearings: Series 6000 & 6200
    • Misc. Bearings
      • ABEC 5 Radial Ball Bearings by ORS
      • Sealed Ball Screw Bearings
  • Sprag Clutch
    • Complete Sprag Clutch Units
    • Ball Bearing Sprag Clutch Units
    • GMN FE 8000 Sprag Clutch
    • Sprag Clutch Elements
    • Winches
    • Roller Ramp Clutches
    • Backstopping Clutch with Mounting Tab
    • Sprag Clutch Guide
  • Non-Contact Labyrinth Seals
    • CF Non-Contact Labyrinth Seals
    • Type L Labyrinth Seals
    • Type M Labyrinth Seals
    • Non-Contact Gap Seals
  • Resources
    • Tools & Calculators
    • GMN PDF Resource Downloads
    • Ball Bearing Guide
    • Sprag Clutch Guide
    • Automatic Cross Reference Tool
    • Angular Contact Bearing Reference Chart
    • Bearings for Extreme Environments
  • About Us
  • Quality 360°
  • Bearing Tolerance Standards
  • Articles
    • GMN FKNS 6206-2RS Sprag Clutch for Gemini Divider/Rounder
    • GMN FE 458 Z Clutch for Heidelberg Presses
    • Calling All Rotary Die Cutters
    • Overrunning Sprag Clutches for Printing & Converting Machines
    • GMN Bearing USA’s FE 8000 Sprag Clutch in Turbine Starter Applications
    • More →
  • Request a Quote

Overrunning Sprag Clutches for Printing & Converting Machines

You are here: Home / Articles / Overrunning Sprag Clutches for Printing & Converting Machines

GMN Overrunning Sprag Clutches Keep It Tight for Printing & Flexible Material Converting Machines

In the world of flexography and converting machines, the name of the game is keeping a taut line. Whether your material is paper, tissue, foil, film, or another non-woven flexible material, maintaining correct tension can be the difference between success and failure, that tension often comes down to the torque control mechanisms in the drives. It’s common for drives throughout the process line, including in the unwinders and rewinders, to incorporate roller ramp or sprag clutches, also known as “cam clutches.” These clutches enable the drives to maintain a constant torque in one direction but can also overrun in the other direction.

Roller Ramp vs Sprag Clutch Designs

Flexographic printing machinery.
Flexographic Printing Machinery

Roller ramp and sprag clutches both achieve the same goal, transferring torque in one direction and freewheeling in the other direction, but they go about it in very different ways.

As their name implies, roller ramp clutches have ramps on the inner rings that wedge the rollers in place against the smooth outer ring. Overrunning sprag clutches have sprag elements that are larger than the gap between a smooth inner and outer race and have curved surfaces that engage against the inner and outer race almost instantaneously when torque is transmitted.

Benefits of an Overrunning Sprag Clutch

These differences may seem minor, but the impact they have on the design and performance of the system are anything but. Consider these advantages of using a sprag clutch:

  • More compact design. Because there are no ramps, sprag clutches don’t require nearly as much space. This means that the radial space allotment to the clutches can be much less for sprag clutches.
  • Higher number of engagement elements. In roller ramp clutches, the amount of space needed for the ramps limits how many rollers can be used for a given clutch. Since sprags don’t need nearly as much space numerous sprags can fit in the space required for a single roller in a roller. More sprags mean there are more elements to transfer torque which corresponds to a higher torque capacity.
  • Less rotation for engagement. For roller ramp clutches to engage, the rollers have to move up the ramp and be wedged between the ramp and the outer ring. All the sprags have to do is twist slightly. That means the amount of rotation before the clamping element engages is less for a sprag clutch.

GMN Bearing USA marks the difference between a quality, long-lasting life cycle bearing that produces materials with perfect adherence and readiness to ship,
vs
bearings classified with lower tolerances that yield short lifecycles and produce lower quality materials & unwanted scrap

GMN offers a wide range of sprag clutches to serve all types of specific applications, such as overrunning, in the printing and flexible material converting industry, especially with winders, slitters, rolling mills, and levelers.

One series, the FND 400, has become the go-to clutch for the industry because of its many unique features compared to GMN’s other clutches:

  • Hardened races with a keyway on the inner ring. No need for special shaft and housing requirements. Just press the clutch in and secure it with a key to the shaft.
  • Built in bearing support. These clutches come with a ball bearing on one side and a roller bearing on the other to side to provide radial and some axial load support to the clutch.
  • Sealed with oil lubrication. Grease has a shelf and operating life limitation. Instead, these clutches are sealed with an oil lubrication to keep running for years without the need to change the lubrication.
SlugGMN SeriesPart NoSpring
Type
Inner
Diameter
d [mm]
Outer
Diameter
D [mm]
Width
b [mm]
Torque
M [Nm]
sc-fnd-437-z-complete-freewheel-clutchFND437 ZTension154134161
sc-fnd-442-z-complete-freewheel-clutchFND442 ZTension204634208
sc-fnd-453-z-complete-freewheel-clutchFND453 ZTension255834314
sc-fnd-459-z-complete-freewheel-clutchFND459 ZTension306434381
sc-fnd-463-z-complete-freewheel-clutchFND463 ZTension356834428
sc-fnd-470-z-complete-freewheel-clutchFND470 ZTension407534509
sc-fnd-473-z-complete-freewheel-clutchFND473 ZTension457834543
sc-fnd-437-m-complete-freewheel-clutchFND437 MMeander154134176
sc-fnd-442-m-complete-freewheel-clutchFND442 MMeander204634223
sc-fnd-453-m-complete-freewheel-clutchFND453 MMeander255834343
sc-fnd-459-m-complete-freewheel-clutchFND459 MMeander306434411
sc-fnd-463-m-complete-freewheel-clutchFND463 MMeander356834462
sc-fnd-470-m-complete-freewheel-clutchFND470 MMeander407534550
sc-fnd-473-m-complete-freewheel-clutchFND473 MMeander457834588
Let’s Talk!

Would GMN Bearing USA’s Sprag Clutches be right for your printing & flexible material converting needs? Our engineers are standing by to review your specific needs and ready to conduct an application evaluation.
Contact us today!

Category iconArticles,  Product Detail Tag iconBearings,  Complete Sprag Clutch Units

REQUEST A QUOTE

Click the button or give us a call at 800.323.5725 today.

Get Your Quote

Footer

GMN Bearing USA

We provide GMN precision bearings, sprag clutches and non-contact seals to OEMs, spindle rebuilders and distributors in North America.
 

800.323.5725

Get in Touch

Sitemap

  • Angular Contacts
  • Radial Bearings
  • Non-Contact Labyrinth Seals
  • Sprag Clutch

GMN Bearing USA

  • About Us
  • Quality 360°
  • Request a Quote
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 GMN Bearing USA. All rights reserved. - Terms & Conditions - Privacy Policy

Return to top