Higher efficiency, geared Electric Motor drive unit pairs, finely controlled by linked Inverters, were installed on a 19-stand food forming line. These replaced a total of 38 small - relatively expensive - hydraulic motors, roll ends mounted, in pairs. Their inefficient, high energy consuming, hydraulic power pack source was also scrapped.
However, unlike the smaller, light hydraulic motors, mounted onto the rolls & adjusting their position with them – the much larger, longer and heavier, geared motor power units could not be easily moved in tandem with roll adjustments and they had wider paired shaft centres than their roll centres. So, an adjustable, ‘offset’ connection was needed, to accommodate for:-
•larger motor than roll pair centres, plus
•roll diameter reduction on re-grinding,
•separating rolls to clean, or ‘free-wheel’

In the Upper drive position (see photo above on left), the motor unit is connected - some 63mm above - to the ‘Flexo’ print roll. In the Lower drive position (see photo on right) it is re-connected - some 63mm below - to the ‘Gravure’ print roll.

Furthermore, the maximum 126mm (+/- full-stretch) ‘Tangential’ offset capacity of this coupling was fully utilized to achieve alternative connections from the centrally positioned, 100 watt geared servomotor, as a common power unit, driving at 30 RPM.

A roll gap height adjustment, by up to +/- 1.5mm (i.e., total 3mm movement when input set in middle) is achieved from the ‘radially-free’ offset capacity of this, relatively small & compact, yet torsionally stiff,  Semiflex® ‘inline’, type NFB 7.7/2-A2/A2 (old designation).
These 10 couplings were supplied for feed roll drive connection, on vacuum transfer, card printing units, to accommodate varying card thicknesses. A consistent, high precision feed positioning accuracy – of better than 0.02mm - was essential for achieving the high quality printing required, irrespective of the material thickness. Such accuracy was achieved due to the following coupling features of:-
•no offset reaction-loading on the shaft support bearings, and
• highly accurate torque transmission at true constant velocity.
The finished units were eventually shipped to Egypt.

Exponential Sales growth in Germany (& Overseas), in less than 3 years of producing metal Bellows, Flexible Spider and Overload/safety drive Couplings, has encouraged the owners of the manufacturing & marketing company KBK Antriebstechnik GmbH (experienced Production & Design Engineers from the industry), to seek expansion into the UK & Eire markets. Their searches culminated in an agreement in January, 2006, for their exclusive Representation in those two markets, with FRANCIS and FRANCIS Ltd., Kenley, Surrey for their supply of all three product ranges there.