DE-STA-CO INDEX DRIVES QuickStart

IMPORTANT!

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS
FOR INDEX DRIVES

I. GENERAL

1. The information listed below applies to all models of

Industrial Motion Control, LLC (IMC) Camco- and
Ferguson-brand Index Drives.

2. The input and output shafts can be rotated in either
direction.

II. LUBRICATION:

1. Proper attention to lubrication is of the utmost
importance. IMC Index Drives are shipped without oil in
the housings and before operating under power, the
housings should be filled to proper oil level on sight
glass with MOBIL GEAR 630, OMALA 220, MOBIL
SHC 634 or an SAE 90 EP Gear Oil (meeting the
MIL-L-2105E Specification and API Service
Classification GL5) or equivalent. Consult the General
Service Manual or the unit-specific manual for your unit
for additional information.

The sight glass, fill plug and magnetic drain plug have
been installed at the factory in locations that will provide
internal lubrication to all bearings according to the
mounting arrangement specified at the time of the
order.

2. Some units have output bearings requiring regular
lubrication. These bearings have grease fittings and
should be lubricated every 1000 hours with light chassis
grease through the fitting provided. Do not over­lubricate these bearings as excess grease will be forced
into the oil reservoir.

Output bearings without grease fittings are splash
lubricated from the oil reservoir.

3. Under normal conditions, the overload clutch will not
require lubrication on a scheduled basis but the
overload clutch should be tested at least once every 6
months to be sure it is functioning properly. To do this
the output member (sprocket, dial, pulley, shaft etc.)
should be locked by mechanical means, then attempt to
hand crank the reducer input shaft (or input shaft of the
index drive if no reducer is used). By locking the output
member the clutch should trip during index of the drive.
If the clutch does not function, a follower wheel or cam
could break during normal operation. Therefore, the
clutch should be taken apart, as outlined in the “Clutch
Installation, Operation and Maintenance Instruction
Manual”, (Note all warning and cautions) cleaned and a
light coat of Mobil AW-2 should be applied to the drive
plate and mating surface of the clutch body. Also,
lubricate the spring pockets with a light film of grease.

CAUTION: Heavy lubrication in the spring pockets may
lock the plunger, due to hydraulic pressure, preventing
the clutch from disengagement. In dusty, corrosive,
high humidity, contaminants or wash down
environments, lubrication (as outlined above) should
take place at least once every six (6) months or sooner
if required.

GREASE PACKED BEARINGS: bearings used in IMC
Index Drives require no additional maintenance. The
bearings that are not lubricated by partial submersion in

III. INSTALLATION AND OPERATION:

1. IMC Index Drives should be mounted in a sturdy

2. Extreme care should be taken to insure that all

3. The connection between the input shaft and the input

4. Overload protection should be provided at the output.

IV. MAINTENANCE:

1. When operated at rated speeds, IMC Index Drives

2. Cam Followers should be checked every 8000 hours for

oil are packed with a high quality bearing grease.
However, bearings that are not lubricated as above
require grease lubrication.

Grease fittings and internal retainers are furnished as
required. They should be greased with NGLI #3
bearing grease at least once a month. Do not over-lube
since the excess lubricant will eventually fall into the
indexer oil reservoir.

foundation and maximum size holding bolts should be
used to secure the unit in place.

connections to both the input and output shafts are
properly aligned and tight. There should not be any
loose keys, set screws, couplings, etc.

Whenever possible taperlock types of connections or
bolted flanges should be used to insure tight
connections.

drive should be tight.
a. Loose V-belts, chains or backlash in gears will

cause rotational pulsations of the camshaft (input
shaft).

b. Constant speed of the input shaft is necessary to

produce the true generated motion in the index
cam.

c. A flywheel on the input shaft to store up kinetic

energy or shaft mounted gear reducer with
minimum backlash will insure a constant speed of
the camshaft.

require very limited maintenance. The oil level in the
housing should be checked periodically to insure that it
is at proper level. Under normal operating conditions
the oil should be changed once a year.

CAUTION: An oil change is required every 2000 hours
of operation, or every six months which ever occurs
first.

Where operating conditions are severe, such as rapid
rise and fall in temperature of the indexer housing
(which is accompanied by sweating of the inside walls
with a resulting formation of sludge), where operation is
in moist and dusty atmosphere and contaminations can
be drawn in through the breather plug, or in the
presence of chemical fumes, it may be necessary to
change the oil in intervals of one to three months.

NOTE: The magnetic drain plug should be visually
inspected at the time for metallic chips that might
indicate failure of one of the internal components.

excessive radial looseness. If radial play exceeds

0.0005” at a 6” radius, the cam followers should be
replaced.

V. ADDITIONAL HINTS:

1. Cam followers with radial looseness indicate wear and
should be replaced immediately. Axial play of the
follower outer shell on the stud is normal.

2. Cracked or broken cam followers indicate overloading –
replace followers and check for malfunction of overload
protection. When installing new followers, care should
be taken to push only on the center of the stud head
and not on the flange of the stud. The stud should be
lubricated and carefully aligned when it is pressed into
the hole.

3. Backlash at any station indicates worn or damaged cam
followers.

4. Any binding on rotation of the input shaft is an indication
of broken cam followers.

5. Contact your nearest IMC representative for assistance
if necessary

VI. TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE:

IMC recommends that only technicians experienced in index
drives maintenance make repairs. A full year warranty is
given on any unit rebuilt by IMC.

If the customer must rebuild the unit themselves, they
should refer to the individual service manual that applies to
theirs model index drive. They should follow step-by-step
procedures for disassembly and assembly as described in
theses manuals. Cautions and warnings should also be
followed.

NOTE: IMC will not warrant any unit rebuilt by the
customer.

SYMPTOM: INDEXER APPEARS INACCURATE

1. Check if unit stops in dwell. See the assembly drawing
for your unit for keyway position in dwell. Also refer to
the cycle cam and limit switch function in the General
Service Manual.

2. Is the output shaft backlash-free in dwell? Be sure to
disconnect all other devices from the indexer output
including an output overload clutch. All indexers must
be backlash-free in dwell (see SYMPTOM: Looseness
in Dwell).

3. How is the accuracy being checked? IMC uses a
computer controlled checking machine to check each
index against a theoretical perfect index. Contact the
factory for assistance. IMC keeps inspection reports for
units with special accuracy (units required to be within
closer tolerances that the standard).

SYMPTOM: LOOSENESS IN ONE DWELL

1. Followers are worn and need replacing.

2. Follower wheel is damaged and needs rework or
replacement.

SYMPTOM: LOOSENESS IN EACH DWELL

1. Camshaft is loose in bearings. Check for end play in
input shaft. Adjust shims on bearing caps. See
individual service manual for pre-load setting
procedures.

2. Cam is loose on shaft. Usually repaired at the factory.

3. Cam is broken. (This rarely happens and is an
indication of an overload application or a jam.)

4. Unit was very heavily overloaded and all bearings
loosened up. Factory rework required.

5. All followers are worn. Rebuilding by factory is best
remedy.

6. Output shaft to follower wheel connection is loose.
Factory repair is recommended.

7. Customer output member connection loose. Tighten
output member and dowel in place.

SYMPTOM: INDEXER IS NOISY

1. Check to see if output is backlash-free in dwell.

2. Check for excess looseness in motion. Cam or follower
could be broken.

3. Is the noise from the reducer rather than the indexer?

4. Occasionally, variable speed D.C. controls cause the
input to pulsate and create noise. Adjust the Internal
Resistance Compensation within control.

5. Are the input and output connections backlash free?

6. Is the unit overloaded? Loads can change over a
period of time due to wear.

7. Is the unit support (base) rigid?

8. The unit could be overheated and have loose pre-load.

9. Is there sufficient oil in the unit? Is oil used consistent
with IMC specifications? (See Index Drive Lubrication).

SYMPTOM: PREMATURE WEAR ON FOLLOWERS

1. Actual forces on the unit could be greater than
calculated due to loose input or output.

2. Lack of oil or wrong oil used (See Lubrication section of
Index Drive Service).

3. Frequent or severe overloads.

4. Improper input systems (where there is not a constant
velocity input) will cause an erratic output or excessive
output vibration. This will result in forces several times
higher than calculated (see input recommendations).

5. Defective cam or follower wheel assembly.

SYMPTOM: OUTPUT MOVEMENT IS ERRATIC AND
VIBRATING

1. Input does not run at a constant velocity. The prime
objective of a good input connection to an Index Drive is
to maintain a constant shock free velocity (see input
recommendations). Motor running too slowly could also
cause an erratic output.

2. Output connections loose, flexing, or winding up.
Check all connections (see recommended output
connections).

3. Excessive friction drag on output. Disconnect indexer
and investigate friction torque.

4. Unit is overloaded due to excessive speed or loads.
Contact your Sales agent to check data sheet
application loads and speeds. Decrease speed.

5. Unit could be internally damaged. Check other
symptoms.

6. Unit support is not rigid. Check rigidity of index drive
mount with an indicator. Stiffen support or decrease
speed.

INDUSTRIAL MOTION CONTROL, LLC PHONE: [phone] [e-mail]
1444 SOUTH WOLF ROAD FAX: [phone] www.camcoindex.com
WHEELING, IL 60090 USA

©Industrial Motion Control, LLC 1999-2004 All Rights Reserved. This publication is for information purposes only and should not be considered a binding description of the
product except if confirmed in writing by Industrial Motion Control, LLC.