Bibby's range of composite tube disc couplings has been designed using new material technology - providing lower mass and greater strength. The couplings are highly stable, lightweight units suitable for operation over longer lengths than equivalent metal type couplings. They are easier to install, do not require support bearings or lubrication and are essentially maintenance-free.

As the Bibby composite tube disc couplings cover long spans without the need for central bearings and have inherent low mass, they can considerably reduce maintenance costs on equipment to which they are installed. This feature is particularly advantageous on cooling tower fan drives and in remote-operated or inaccessible plants such as water and sewage pumping stations employing deep well pumps.

Also, thanks to minimal levels of vibration, the Bibby composite couplings are an excellent choice in many applications where conventional couplings have been inappropriate: on high- speed engine test beds for example, and on ship and hovercraft propulsion systems.

Filament-wound on accurate mandrels using computer-controlled machinery, the composite Turboflex tubes are cured while on the mandrel. This results in high accuracy in respect of tube dimensions, roundness and straightness, all of which contribute to a high-quality product that can deliver excellent operating reliability. Purpose-developed software enables Bibby Turboflex to offer tubes with fibre windings at angles adjusted to give the optimum performance for specific lateral critical, torque and torsional stiffness requirements. In addition, Bibby offers the option to wind tubes using a variety of fibres: carbon fibre, glass fibre, carbon/glass mix and high-modulus fibre, all of which provide specific advantages in their relevant operating areas.