September 2019

CONSTRUCTION FOCUS The building and infrastructure requirements of the developed world are seemingly ever growing, while developing countries are increasingly investing in mechanised alternatives to manual labour. As a result, the demand for construction machinery that can complete large-scale projects in a timely, cost-effective manner and with consistent quality is accelerating, driving the market forwards. Global forecasts paint a picture of a market that is not just growing, but where the rate of growth in increasing. CAGR estimates from just a few years ago of 7% to 2021 have been revised upwards Flywheel couplings offer compact options for construction machinery 38 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS September 2019 www.hpmag.co.uk to almost 8% to 2023, driven by accelerating demand from the likes of the irrigation industry and increasing numbers of highway construction projects. The selection criteria for construction machinery highlight the need for equipment that is as standard as possible, and which gives the best possible service at the lowest cost – and frequently in the smallest possible size. This places stringent demands on construction machinery manufacturers to develop products that improve performance and reliability, simplify servicing requirements, and which can be manufactured with reduced production costs. This in turn makes the selection of the mechanical components used within the design paramount, and nowhere more so than in the couplings that connect the drive (diesel, petrol or electric) to the driven equipment, such as hydraulic systems, compressors, fans/blowers, generators and pumps. In many of these applications, particularly those involving diesel engines, a flywheel coupling will most often be selected to connect the driver to the driven equipment. But with Today’s construction machinery has to offer robust and reliable operation in some of the most challenging application environments; therefore, the mechanical components used in their design must also offer the highest levels of performance and reliability. Andy Bargh, business development manager for GP Couplings at Altra Industrial Motion Corp., examines some of the design considerations for flywheel couplings in different machinery applications. Today’s construction machinery has to offer robust and reliable operation in some of the most challenging application environments.