TOdate, RENK-MAAG has soldmore than 800 of its intricate,state-of-the-art synchronous

clutch couplings. They are installed on shipswhich have two or even three propulsionsystems such as naval vessels, high-speedferries and luxurious superyachts.

Synchronous clutch couplings engageautomatically when the driving machineoverruns the speed of the driven machine.Synchronous clutch couplings also disen-gage again automatically when the speedof the driving machine falls below the speedof the driven equipment, thus creating anegative torque. This happens at any speedwithin the machine’s speed range. They

can be used for all torques and speeds forwhich conventional tooth couplings canbe used – suitable for applications from0.5 to over 200 MW.

In the marine sector, RENK-MAAG synchronous clutch couplings are used incombined diesel and gas turbine propulsionsystems, such as CODOG, COGAG, CODADand CODAG systems, and can also be used asefficiency booster drives for diesel enginepropulsion systems. The upcoming hybridpropulsion systems certainly open a marketfor new applications.

RENK-MAAG’s robust design and strin-gent quality standards allow for very highdifferential speeds and superior operational

behavior. Furthermore, an integrated gearcoupling allows for very compact trainarrangements – no additional f lexiblecouplings are required and less bearingsare needed. This means higher efficiency,saving valuable space and cutting overallcosts compared to other solutions.

Ship operators expect high reliability,longevity, low maintenance costs and shortdown times of their critical equipment. Thisis why all parts in RENK-MAAG’s syn-chronous clutches are hydro-dynamicallylubricated, thus allowing wear-free operation.

These synchronous clutch couplings can beequipped with diverse additional featuressuch as a locking mechanism to prevent

RENK-MAAG 2

RENK-MAAG I PROFILE

1 RENK-MAAG

RENK-MAAG’s innovative synchronous clutch couplings are being successfullyused in a range of marine propulsion systems. Report by David Porteous.

disengagement in heavy seas or a pawlfree mode for complete and permanentdisengagement. The pawl free function allowsfor save maintenance on one part of thepropulsion system while steaming aheadwith the remaining train. RENK-MAAG’scustomers especially value its flexibility to design customised solutions.

Due to the compact build, especially com-pact length, RENK-MAAG’s clutches areoften retrofitted into existing arrangements.

Synchronising MechanismRENK-MAAG’s MS synchronous clutchcoupling consists of two main elements:a gear coupling (axial, radial and angulardisplacement) and a synchronising mecha-nism. It can engage at any synchronousspeed and disengage at any speed withnegative torque.

The company’s hydraulically-operated HSsynchronous clutch has a very similarsynchronising mechanism to the MS, butinstead of the main helical toothing, it hasa spur gear power transmission toothing(straight gear). The synchronising mech-anism is used to find a clean ‘tooth to gap’position. The HS starts the screw-like motionand a small front face toothing engages.

The hydraulic system is automaticallyactivated and finishes the engagementby a pure axial shifting. As soon as the

SYNCHRONOUSWITH SUCCESS

Renk-Maag_Layout 1 09/11/2015 09:35 Page 1

RENK-MAAG 4

RENK-MAAG I PROFILE

3 RENK-MAAG

clutch is fully engaged, the high-pressurehydraulics are de-loaded and the HS worksnow like a classic gear coupling, whichcan transmit full positive and negativetorque, without disengaging.

The design is such that the precise syn-chronising mechanism – similar to Swissclock work – is not part of the torque transfer.

“We have made a significant investmentin the development of our range of syn-chronous clutches,” said Michael Waldburger,Head of Engineering and Test. “We arecontinuously innovating to provide ourcustomers with customised features andto achieve the highest standards in reliabilityand operational performance. For the smallerranges of synchronous clutches, we wentthrough a standardisation process toreduce product costs and lead time.

Unique Capabilities and Technology“We are always looking to develop newvariants and new technologies for marineand naval applications, for example, doublesynchronous clutches that avoid reverseturning of the propeller. Another area ofdevelopment is synchronous clutches forPower Take Off (PTO), such as on-boardpower generation systems.”

RENK-MAAG, based in Winterthur,Switzerland, counts more than 100 employeesand is part of the RENK Group, a businessheadquartered in Augsburg, Germany,which has more than 140 years of experiencein drive engineering. RENK is the world’sleading international provider of newgearboxes for naval and commercial ships.

RENK-MAAG was set up in 2007 withthe mission to develop and manufacturenew turbo gearboxes and synchronousclutches whilst also providing after-salesservices to the installed base of MAAGmarine and turbo gearboxes as well as alltypes of MAAG synchronous clutches andtooth couplings. RENK-MAAG’s technology,intellectual property rights and know-howfor these businesses have been taken overfrom the MAAG Gear Company which wasfounded in 1913 and has been a pioneerin gear technology.

RENK-MAAG’s gearbox portfolio consistsof: parallel-shaft gearboxes, available forapplications from 1 MW to well over 100 MW;High Efficiency Turbogears (HET Gear®),based on vacuum technology, enabling thedesign of high-speed gearboxes with theworld’s best efficiency levels; MULTICOM®

multi-shaft gearboxes, which can drive upto ten compressor stages at speeds of upto 60,000 rpm; and high-speed epicyclicgearboxes, which can be built relativelysmall as the power is distributed overseveral meshes, resulting in a highpower-to-weight ratio.

RENK-MAAG is the only OEM masteringboth gearbox and synchronous clutch tech-nology. It leverages this unique capabilityto design synchronous clutch-gearboxcombinations into a power transmissiontrain, all integrated into one single housing.

The marine sector makes up around aquarter of RENK-MAAG’s total business.The company is currently involved in a major lifetime-expansion and upgradeproject for eight navy frigates. The projectso far involves the supply of replacementgear wheels, bearings, synchronous clutches,installation and supervision services.Furthermore, RENK-MAAG is involved inseveral other marine projects for mainte-nance in the civil and military sectors.

The other major industries served byRENK-MAAG are oil and gas, steel production,power generation and petrochemicals.

Reliable Services and FastResponse Times“Our aftersales activities are focused onsupporting RENK-MAAG products and all MAAG turbo and marine gearboxes,clutches and couplings,” said ManagingDirector Thomas Fritschi. “Our aim is tokeep the installed f leet running by

providing technical advice, inspections,maintenance overhauls, modificationsand upgrades, repairs, spare parts,installation and commissioning services.

“Any necessary repairs are undertakenon-site whenever possible. We can manu-facture spare parts for all these productsusing the original drawings and designknow-how.

“We have a pool of dedicated, offshore-certified and experienced service engineers.They are qualified to work on a broad rangeof gearboxes, such as marine, turbo and industr ial types. After each interven-tion, we solicit customer feedback andmeasure an exceptionally high degree of customer satisfaction.

“Oil and gas companies, power genera-tors and navies around the world value ourfast response times, the level of compe-tence and the reliability of our service engi-neers.” Upon request, RENK-MAAG alsodispatches its certified quality engineersto perform phased-array ultra-soundinspections on-site. This can provideadditional confidence about the integrityof the equipment.

“We operate around the globe thanksto our network of designated agents in 35countries. Service centres are maintainedin North America, China, UAE and Australiato provide local support. We can advise andsupport our customers on all continents– whether on new gearboxes or couplings,modifications, replacements, spare parts,repairs or field service. n

Michael Waldburger, Head of Engineering and Test

Thomas Fritschi,Managing Director

Renk-Maag_Layout 1 09/11/2015 09:35 Page 3

TOdate, RENK-MAAG has soldmore than 800 of its intricate,state-of-the-art synchronous

clutch couplings. They are installed on shipswhich have two or even three propulsionsystems such as naval vessels, high-speedferries and luxurious superyachts.

Synchronous clutch couplings engageautomatically when the driving machineoverruns the speed of the driven machine.Synchronous clutch couplings also disen-gage again automatically when the speedof the driving machine falls below the speedof the driven equipment, thus creating anegative torque. This happens at any speedwithin the machine’s speed range. They

can be used for all torques and speeds forwhich conventional tooth couplings canbe used – suitable for applications from0.5 to over 200 MW.

In the marine sector, RENK-MAAG synchronous clutch couplings are used incombined diesel and gas turbine propulsionsystems, such as CODOG, COGAG, CODADand CODAG systems, and can also be used asefficiency booster drives for diesel enginepropulsion systems. The upcoming hybridpropulsion systems certainly open a marketfor new applications.

RENK-MAAG’s robust design and strin-gent quality standards allow for very highdifferential speeds and superior operational

behavior. Furthermore, an integrated gearcoupling allows for very compact trainarrangements – no additional f lexiblecouplings are required and less bearingsare needed. This means higher efficiency,saving valuable space and cutting overallcosts compared to other solutions.

Ship operators expect high reliability,longevity, low maintenance costs and shortdown times of their critical equipment. Thisis why all parts in RENK-MAAG’s syn-chronous clutches are hydro-dynamicallylubricated, thus allowing wear-free operation.

These synchronous clutch couplings can beequipped with diverse additional featuressuch as a locking mechanism to prevent

RENK-MAAG 2

RENK-MAAG I PROFILE

1 RENK-MAAG

RENK-MAAG’s innovative synchronous clutch couplings are being successfullyused in a range of marine propulsion systems. Report by David Porteous.

disengagement in heavy seas or a pawlfree mode for complete and permanentdisengagement. The pawl free function allowsfor save maintenance on one part of thepropulsion system while steaming aheadwith the remaining train. RENK-MAAG’scustomers especially value its flexibility to design customised solutions.

Due to the compact build, especially com-pact length, RENK-MAAG’s clutches areoften retrofitted into existing arrangements.

Synchronising MechanismRENK-MAAG’s MS synchronous clutchcoupling consists of two main elements:a gear coupling (axial, radial and angulardisplacement) and a synchronising mecha-nism. It can engage at any synchronousspeed and disengage at any speed withnegative torque.

The company’s hydraulically-operated HSsynchronous clutch has a very similarsynchronising mechanism to the MS, butinstead of the main helical toothing, it hasa spur gear power transmission toothing(straight gear). The synchronising mech-anism is used to find a clean ‘tooth to gap’position. The HS starts the screw-like motionand a small front face toothing engages.

The hydraulic system is automaticallyactivated and finishes the engagementby a pure axial shifting. As soon as the

SYNCHRONOUSWITH SUCCESS

Renk-Maag_Layout 1 09/11/2015 09:35 Page 1

RENK-MAAG 4

RENK-MAAG I PROFILE

3 RENK-MAAG

clutch is fully engaged, the high-pressurehydraulics are de-loaded and the HS worksnow like a classic gear coupling, whichcan transmit full positive and negativetorque, without disengaging.

The design is such that the precise syn-chronising mechanism – similar to Swissclock work – is not part of the torque transfer.

“We have made a significant investmentin the development of our range of syn-chronous clutches,” said Michael Waldburger,Head of Engineering and Test. “We arecontinuously innovating to provide ourcustomers with customised features andto achieve the highest standards in reliabilityand operational performance. For the smallerranges of synchronous clutches, we wentthrough a standardisation process toreduce product costs and lead time.

Unique Capabilities and Technology“We are always looking to develop newvariants and new technologies for marineand naval applications, for example, doublesynchronous clutches that avoid reverseturning of the propeller. Another area ofdevelopment is synchronous clutches forPower Take Off (PTO), such as on-boardpower generation systems.”

RENK-MAAG, based in Winterthur,Switzerland, counts more than 100 employeesand is part of the RENK Group, a businessheadquartered in Augsburg, Germany,which has more than 140 years of experiencein drive engineering. RENK is the world’sleading international provider of newgearboxes for naval and commercial ships.

RENK-MAAG was set up in 2007 withthe mission to develop and manufacturenew turbo gearboxes and synchronousclutches whilst also providing after-salesservices to the instal led base of MAAGmarine and turbo gearboxes as well as alltypes of MAAG synchronous clutches andtooth couplings. RENK-MAAG’s technology,intellectual property rights and know-howfor these businesses have been taken overfrom the MAAG Gear Company which wasfounded in 1913 and has been a pioneerin gear technology.

RENK-MAAG’s gearbox portfolio consistsof: parallel-shaft gearboxes, available forapplications from 1 MW to well over 100 MW;High Efficiency Turbogears (HET Gear®),based on vacuum technology, enabling thedesign of high-speed gearboxes with theworld’s best efficiency levels; MULTICOM®

multi-shaft gearboxes, which can drive upto ten compressor stages at speeds of upto 60,000 rpm; and high-speed epicyclicgearboxes, which can be built relativelysmall as the power is distributed overseveral meshes, resulting in a highpower-to-weight ratio.

RENK-MAAG is the only OEM masteringboth gearbox and synchronous clutch tech-nology. It leverages this unique capabilityto design synchronous clu tch-gearboxcombinations into a power transmissiontrain, all integrated into one single housing.

The marine sector makes up around aquarter of RENK-MAAG’s total business.The company is currently involved in a major lifetime-expansion and upgradeproject for eight navy frigates. The projectso far involves the supply of replacementgear wheels, bearings, synchronous clutches,installation and supervision services.Furthermore, RENK-MAAG is involved inseveral other marine projects for mainte-nance in the civil and military sectors.

The other major industries served byRENK-MAAG are oil and gas, steel production,power generation and petrochemicals.

Reliable Services and FastResponse Times“Our aftersales activities are focused onsupporting RENK-MAAG products and all MAAG turbo and marine gearboxes,clutches and couplings,” said ManagingDirector Thomas Fritschi. “Our aim is tokeep the installed f leet running by

providing technical advice, inspections,maintenance overhauls, modificationsand upgrades, repairs, spare parts,installation and commissioning services.

“Any necessary repairs are undertakenon-site whenever possible. We can manu-facture spare parts for all these productsusing the original draw ings and designknow-how.

“We have a pool of dedicated, offshore-certified and experienced service engineers.They are qualified to work on a broad rangeof gearboxes, such as marine, turbo and industrial types. After each interven-tion, we solicit customer feedback andmeasure an exceptionally high degree of customer satisfaction.

“Oil and gas companies, power genera-tors and navies around the world value ourfast response times, the level of compe-tence and the reliability of our service engi-neers.” Upon request, RENK-MAAG alsodispatches its certified quality engineersto perform phased-array ultra-soundinspections on-site. This can provideadditional confidence about the integrityof the equipment.

“We operate around the globe thanksto our network of designated agents in 35countries. Service centres are maintainedin North America, China, UAE and Australiato provide local support. We can advise andsupport our customers on all continents– whether on new gearboxes or couplings,modifications, replacements, spare parts,repairs or field service. n

Michael Waldburger, Head of Engineering and Test

Thomas Fritschi,Managing Director

Renk-Maag_Layout 1 09/11/2015 09:35 Page 3

RENK-MAAG 4

RENK-MAAG I PROFILE

3 RENK-MAAG

clutch is fully engaged, the high-pressurehydraulics are de-loaded and the HS worksnow like a classic gear coupling, whichcan transmit full positive and negativetorque, without disengaging.

The design is such that the precise syn-chronising mechanism – similar to Swissclock work – is not part of the torque transfer.

“We have made a significant investmentin the development of our range of syn-chronous clutches,” said Michael Waldburger,Head of Engineering and Test. “We arecontinuously innovating to provide ourcustomers with customised features andto achieve the highest standards in reliabilityand operational performance. For the smallerranges of synchronous clutches, we wentthrough a standardisation process toreduce product costs and lead time.

Unique Capabilities and Technology“We are always looking to develop newvariants and new technologies for marineand naval applications, for example, doublesynchronous clutches that avoid reverseturning of the propeller. Another area ofdevelopment is synchronous clutches forPower Take Off (PTO), such as on-boardpower generation systems.”

RENK-MAAG, based in Winterthur,Switzerland, counts more than 100 employeesand is part of the RENK Group, a businessheadquartered in Augsburg, Germany,which has more than 140 years of experiencein drive engineering. RENK is the world’sleading international provider of newgearboxes for naval and commercial ships.

RENK-MAAG was set up in 2007 withthe mission to develop and manufacturenew turbo gearboxes and synchronousclutches whilst also providing after-salesservices to the instal led base of MAAGmarine and turbo gearboxes as well as alltypes of MAAG synchronous clutches andtooth couplings. RENK-MAAG’s technology,intellectual property rights and know-howfor these businesses have been taken overfrom the MAAG Gear Company which wasfounded in 1913 and has been a pioneerin gear technology.

RENK-MAAG’s gearbox portfolio consistsof: parallel-shaft gearboxes, available forapplications from 1 MW to well over 100 MW;High Efficiency Turbogears (HET Gear®),based on vacuum technology, enabling thedesign of high-speed gearboxes with theworld’s best efficiency levels; MULTICOM®

multi-shaft gearboxes, which can drive upto ten compressor stages at speeds of upto 60,000 rpm; and high-speed epicyclicgearboxes, which can be built relativelysmall as the power is distributed overseveral meshes, resulting in a highpower-to-weight ratio.

RENK-MAAG is the only OEM masteringboth gearbox and synchronous clutch tech-nology. It leverages this unique capabilityto design synchronous clu tch-gearboxcombinations into a power transmissiontrain, all integrated into one single housing.

The marine sector makes up around aquarter of RENK-MAAG’s total business.The company is currently involved in a major lifetime-expansion and upgradeproject for eight navy frigates. The projectso far involves the supply of replacementgear wheels, bearings, synchronous clutches,installation and supervision services.Furthermore, RENK-MAAG is involved inseveral other marine projects for mainte-nance in the civil and military sectors.

The other major industries served byRENK-MAAG are oil and gas, steel production,power generation and petrochemicals.

Reliable Services and FastResponse Times“Our aftersales activities are focused onsupporting RENK-MAAG products and all MAAG turbo and marine gearboxes,clutches and couplings,” said ManagingDirector Thomas Fritschi. “Our aim is tokeep the installed f leet running by

providing technical advice, inspections,maintenance overhauls, modificationsand upgrades, repairs, spare parts,installation and commissioning services.

“Any necessary repairs are undertakenon-site whenever possible. We can manu-facture spare parts for all these productsusing the original draw ings and designknow-how.

“We have a pool of dedicated, offshore-certified and experienced service engineers.They are qualified to work on a broad rangeof gearboxes, such as marine, turbo and industrial types. After each interven-tion, we solicit customer feedback andmeasure an exceptionally high degree of customer satisfaction.

“Oil and gas companies, power genera-tors and navies around the world value ourfast response times, the level of compe-tence and the reliability of our service engi-neers.” Upon request, RENK-MAAG alsodispatches its certified quality engineersto perform phased-array ultra-soundinspections on-site. This can provideadditional confidence about the integrityof the equipment.

“We operate around the globe thanksto our network of designated agents in 35countries. Service centres are maintainedin North America, China, UAE and Australiato provide local support. We can advise andsupport our customers on all continents– whether on new gearboxes or couplings,modifications, replacements, spare parts,repairs or field service. n

Michael Waldburger, Head of Engineering and Test

Thomas Fritschi,Managing Director

Renk-Maag_Layout 1 09/11/2015 09:35 Page 3