Regal Rexnord
Torque Limiters / Torque Overload Protection
Regal Rexnord torque limiters and overload protection devices are mechanical safety components installed in drivetrains to protect downstream equipment from torque spikes that exceed a pre - set threshold — the mechanical equivalent of an electrical circuit breaker.Unlike fluid couplings that provide continuous torque limiting through slip, torque limiters are designed to disengage or slip only when torque exceeds the calibrated limit, providing a positive, zero - slip connection during normal operation and instant, automatic disconnection during overload events.Design engineers and plant reliability managers specify Regal Rexnord torque limiters — manufactured under the Stromag, Warner Electric, and Rexnord brands — in applications where a jam, crash, or foreign - object ingestion could cause catastrophic and expensive damage to gearboxes, chains, belts, and driven machinery.The economic case is compelling: a torque limiter costing a few hundred or a few thousand dollars can prevent damage costing tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in gearbox rebuilds, shaft replacements, and lost production.Our portfolio spans friction - type(slip) limiters for repetitive overload protection, ball - detent and shear - pin types for positive disconnection at a precise torque, and pneumatic and electromagnetic designs that can be remotely reset or controlled.With torque ranges from under 1 Nm to over 100,000 Nm, Regal Rexnord torque limiters provide the calibrated protection that prevents minor overloads from becoming catastrophic failures.
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Calibrated, Repeatable Disengagement Torque
Factory - set or field - adjustable torque settings with ±10 % to ±15 % repeatability, ensuring that the limiter protects at the designed overload threshold without nuisance trips or failure to protect.
Zero - Slip Normal Operation
Unlike continuously slipping torque - limiting couplings, most Regal Rexnord torque limiter designs provide a positive, zero - slip drive during normal operation — preserving drivetrain efficiency and preventing heat generation.
Manual or Automatic Reset Options
Friction - type designs re - engage automatically when torque returns to normal; ball - detent and shear - pin types provide positive disconnection requiring manual reset, ideal for applications where the overload cause must be investigated before restart.
Wide Torque & Speed Ranges
Standard products from under 1 Nm for precision instrument drives to over 100,000 Nm for large conveyor and crusher drives, with operating speeds from near - zero to over 3,000 RPM.
Multiple Disengagement Technologies
Friction slip for repetitive overloads, ball - detent for precise single - position disengagement, shear - pin for the simplest, lowest - cost protection, and electromagnetic designs for remote control and data - collection integration.
Integral Coupling & Hub Configurations
Torque limiters designed as direct drop -in replacements for standard flexible couplings or as hubs that accept standard coupling elements, simplifying integration into new and existing drivetrains.
The Economics of Torque Limiter Protection: One Overload Event Justifies the Investment
A single torque limiter engagement that prevents a gearbox failure or a conveyor chain pull - apart typically justifies the cost of torque limiters across an entire production line for years.Consider a grain - conveying leg with a bucket elevator: a foreign object jams the boot pulley, and without torque limiting, the drive gearbox shears a tooth, the chain breaks or pulls the buckets through the casing, and the resulting damage and downtime cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.With a properly set torque limiter at the drive, the limiter slips or disengages, the motor continues to spin harmlessly, and the maintenance response involves removing the foreign object, possibly replacing a shear pin or resetting a detent, and restarting within minutes.This scenario plays out daily in aggregate plants, recycling facilities, food - processing lines, and manufacturing operations worldwide.Regal Rexnord torque limiters convert potentially catastrophic overloads into minor, predictable maintenance events — a transformation that pays for the devices many times over in their first year of service.
Friction, Ball - Detent, Shear - Pin or Electromagnetic ? Selecting Torque Limiter Technology
The optimal torque limiter technology depends on the nature of the overloads, the operating speed, the reset expectations, and the control - system integration level.Friction - type(slip) limiters are ideal for applications experiencing frequent, moderate overloads — conveyor jambs that clear themselves, mixers that encounter temporary viscosity spikes — where automatic re - engagement eliminates production stoppages.Ball - detent(positive - disengagement) limiters are the choice for severe overloads where the machine must stop to be inspected and cleared — crushers, shredders, and chipper drives where a foreign object may be embedded and cannot simply be slipped past.Shear - pin limiters provide the simplest, lowest - cost protection for low - duty - cycle applications where a shear - pin replacement is an acceptable response to an overload.Electromagnetic and pneumatic designs allow remote disengagement and reset, torque monitoring via 4 - 20 mA output, and integration into plant control systems for automated overload response and data logging.Regal Rexnord application engineers work with customers to characterize the overload risk, the acceptable response, and the maintenance philosophy of each drive point, selecting the torque limiter technology that provides the right balance of protection, productivity, and cost.