Lovejoy has developed metal detectable coupling inserts for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries.

Lovejoy, a business unit of The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR; www.timken.com), a world leader in engineered bearings and power transmission products, is seeking end users to test their newly developed metal detectable coupling inserts.

“We have created a new elastomer formulation containing a FDA-compliant additive to impart metal detectability,” said Kaz Gurauskas, Engineer, Lovejoy.  “This was developed for food and beverage manufacturers to help prevent expensive product recalls.”  The testing articles are available for QUICK FLEX®, S-Flex Endurance®, straight jaw and curved jaw style couplings.  Lovejoy performed accelerated fatigue dynamic torque testing and has determined the new formula is on par in terms of product performance with the standard coupling insert torque ratings.  Although most shaft couplings are positioned in non-food-contact areas, there are circumstances in which it cannot be prevented.  In these situations, manufacturers want to be able to detect as early as possible in their process when a wearing part is contaminating product.  As an example, when using a stainless-steel QUICK FLEX coupling with a metal detectable insert, the end user receives the benefits of:

  • Less downtime due to the design of the elastomer being able to be replaced without removing the coupling hubs or surrounding equipment
  • Stainless-steel and the elastomer being able to withstand frequent washdowns
  • The ability to help detect food contamination even when optical detection fails

Interested end-users should contact their local distributor or Lovejoy sales representative for more information.

About The Timken Company

The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR; www.timken.com) designs a growing portfolio of engineered bearings and power transmission products. With more than a century of knowledge and innovation, we continuously improve the reliability and efficiency of global machinery and equipment to move the world forward. Timken posted $3.8 billion in sales in 2019 and employs more than 17,000 people globally, operating from 42 countries.