Twiflex - Advanced Braking Technology

Twiflex manufactures the world's largest range of industrial disc brake calipers for industrial and mining applications. Founded in 1946, as an engineering research company, early products included centrifugal clutches and torsionally flexible couplings that are still manufactured today. In 1951 disc brake technology was introduced for industrial applications, and this new product range was consolidated in 1966 with the addition of industrial and marine disc brake designs based on original Dunlop patents.

Today, Twiflex' program of continual development has established them as leading suppliers of advanced braking technology to world-wide customers, on such diverse applications as processing lines, marine propulsion, elevators and escalators, winches, wind turbine generators, as well as crane hoists and travelling motions, conveyors, mine winders and lastly grinding mills.

CALIPER DISC BRAKES FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

Twiflex cater for all combinations of brake actuation. Direct acting brakes may be specified with pneumatic, hydraulic or mechanical application. Additionally, spring applied (sometimes referred to as fail-safe) calipers are available, released by pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical or electric operation.

Braking forces for a single caliper range from 290N (65lbf) for one of the smallest lever brakes, to over 730,000N (more than 165,000lbf) provided by the latest modular holding brake design, developed specially for mill braking applications.

Depending on the model selected a variety of features are offered:

• Self-adjusting pad wear compensation
• Sintered pads for high speed/high temperature applications
• Wide choice of asbestos free, organic pad materials, including carbon fibre
• Standard, marine, mining and other special levels of protection
• Brake status monitoring (on/off, pad wear, pad replacement)

ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC POWER PACKS

We aim to provide a single source for all our customers' braking requirements. Twiflex deliver a comprehensive range of hydraulic power units which are cost-effective, offer on/off control only, units are suitable for the smaller calipers (known as the LC power packs) and notably a menu-driven selection process allows the specification of the MP range to be put together to meet a user's exact needs. Should this service fail to meet the necessary criteria, a bespoke design service will draw up an electro-hydraulic power pack that precisely fulfils the application requirements.

The control options include multiple brake circuits, high flow systems for rapid brake response, a fast approach circuit with progressive torque build-up, a hand pump, a heater or cooler, a rapid pressure dump, as well as a one-shot brake release for a power failure condition, a proportional control from customers' PLCs, a open loop control and lastly a full closed loop control (intelligent braking).

TWIFLEX INTELLIGENT BRAKING SYSTEM

Driven initially by the need to minimize injury risks during the emergency stopping of heavily loaded escalators, Twiflex has spent several years developing and refining a means of controlling the application of the hydraulic safety brakes used. A self contained control system is now available via which stopping distance, deceleration rates or stopping times may be set and adhered to during the braking phase, independent of load.

Utilising a stand-alone encoder, the system monitors a machine's speed, compares the actual braking rates with the ideal, and adjusts the hydraulic pressure (and hence torque) accordingly.

For added safety the controller features:

• UPS with battery monitoring (controlled stopping even in power failures)
• Default hydraulic control in the event of total system failure
• Built-in redundant outputs
• Tamper-proof enclosure

GLOBAL SUPPORT

Through a network of 35 established distributors worldwide, in addition to the head office and manufacturing centre in the UK, Twiflex is able to provide both the sales and the service support (including on-site installation and commissioning by experienced engineers) that its customers require.