The most popular Airflex product line is their constricting clutches & brakes. The two most popular models within their constricting air-actuated clutches and brakes are the CB & VC models. Both models come in various sizes and have multiple options regarding side connections, friction linings, and mounts. I am a firm believer that knowing tidbits of information about the pieces of equipment you are working on will go a long way to fully understanding the piece of equipment in front of you and how to best care for the equipment.
The model number of an Airflex CB or VC element contains both the size of the elements and the size of the friction shoes. This blog dives into the sizes available and how to decode their model numbers.
The first two digits in the model number represent the drum diameter of the element. So for the first model number example of 14CB400, the “14” denotes that this model of Eaton Airflex element has a 14-inch drum diameter.
The following two digits denote the model of the product line. For example, it will be CB for the CB elements and VC for the VC elements.
The last string of digits will be either 3 or 4 numerical digits, representing the width of the friction shoes. For example, in the 14CB400 model number, the” 400 “denotes that the friction shoes are 4 inches in width.
A tip for the friction shoe width is no matter what the last 3 or 4 numerical digits are, you should move a theoretical decimal point two places to the left of the end of the string of numbers. We are channeling some middle school math you used decades ago on this one.
For the 14CB400, we’ll take out the “400” and place the decimal point after the last digit. It reads “400.” Then move that decimal point two places over to the left, and you have “4.00,” indicating the friction shoe width is an even 4.00 inches. The reason for needing to view the last string of digits as a decimal is that some of the models use friction shoes where the width is not a round number. The 36CB525 is an excellent example of this. We’ll take out the “525” and then move the decimal point 2 places from the end, and you have 5.25 inches for the width of the friction shoes.
The VC model number displays the same information. Let’s go through an example for the VC series, and we’ll use the model 24VC1000. From that model number, you know that this is a VC element with a 24-inch drum diameter and that each friction shoe is 10 inches in width.
So now you know that with the base model number of the Airflex CB & VC series constricting air-actuated clutches and brakes, you can determine the diameter of the drum and the width of the friction shoes. This information is helpful for the general understanding of the brake or clutch you are working on and can also be very helpful when needing to order spare parts or a replacement element.
Be on the lookout for a full series of Airflex blog articles from this model number explanation to technical questions being answered. For any further questions or support on your Airflex air clutch or air brake, the experts at Palmer Johnson have you covered with the answers you need, and we also have a wide array of spare parts and replacement elements in stock ready to ship. Give us a call today!
