“We’d like something off the shelf.”
These are the words we hear most often in a first conversation with a design engineer or buyer when they find our universal joints online or through a distributor. Whether it’s an AS9100 aerospace or defense project, a high-precision medical device application, or a joint for a simpler industrial machine, the first request is always for a standard, off-the-shelf u-joint.
Why might this be?
Manufacturing ‘common sense’ dictates that off-the-shelf will be more economical than custom, that you have to buy 10,000 pieces of something to get a good price.
At Belden Universal, that’s just not the case.
Belden’s unique strength is to serve that middle-sized customer who knows exactly the u-joint they need but only want 100-200 pieces of it, rather than 10k pieces all at once. Belden Universal is optimized to handle these types of orders. While our competitors may shy away from altering their standards for small to mid-sized orders, this is Belden’s specialty.
To be transparent, 1-20 pieces of a custom product (material, hub configuration, finishing, etc.) will cost more than a standard because we make those from existing standard parts – and we need to set up a series of operations to get the configuration you desire.
However, once you get into the 100-200 pc range, our production system can execute that size order with the same processes as if it were a standard part. To put it another way, above 100 pieces, any u-joint or drive shaft can be priced economically like a standard product.
Sometimes a standard u-joint can get the job done, but if your application needs a specific configuration, material, or surface finish, Belden will provide the precise universal joint or drive shaft you need for an easy installation and long life in your unique application.
To get started on a spec for your custom u-joint today, here are a few good places to start:
- Download Belden Universal’s Catalog
- Request a Quote to work with one of our Application Specialists directly
- Learn More about Universal Joints from our Knowledge Center or on our Product Overview page
