You sized your motor for running torque. You installed a VFD for a smooth start . But the first time someone hits the big red "Emergency Stop" button, your gearbox output shaft shears off clean. Why? Because stopping torque demand is often 10x higher than starting torque. In this guide, we will calculate the massive torque spikes caused by E-Stops and how to protect your conveyor from self-destruction. Table of Contents 1. The Physics: Inertia Hates Stopping 2. The Formula: Calculating Braking Torque 3. Why Service Factors Don't Save You 4. Solutions: Torque Limiters vs. Ramps Advertisement 1. The Physics: Inertia Hates Stopping Newton's First Law states that an object in motion wants to stay in motion. When you have a conveyor belt carrying 5 tons of rock moving at 2 m/s, it has massive Kinetic Energy . An Emergency Stop (E-Stop) forces that energy to zero in a fraction of a secon...
Figure 1: The ball detent mechanism provides precise overload protection by disengaging instantly when the torque limit is exceeded. The First Line of Defense: Overload Clutches In high-speed automation and heavy industrial machinery, a "jam" is not a matter of if , but when . Whether it is a cardboard box getting stuck in a packaging machine or a tool crashing in a CNC lathe, the resulting torque spike can destroy gearboxes, twist shafts, and burn out expensive servo motors in milliseconds. A torque limiter (or overload clutch) is the mechanical fuse of the drive system. While electronic monitoring (current limiting) is common, it is often too slow to prevent physical damage from the massive kinetic energy stored in the system inertia. A mechanical torque limiter provides a physical disconnect that operates in a fraction of a second. Search for Torque Limiters & Safety Couplings Advertisement Why Choose ...