PMKC offers features that are rarely found together on the market—our brand, proven over many years, is manufactured and designed in Hamburg.
PMKC — our brand from Hamburg
Short supply chains, direct contact, and full control over quality and availability. Design, manufacturing, and final inspection in Hamburg—with no middlemen.
Hermetic seal
Torque transmission through a non-magnetic partition—no shaft seal, no leakage path. Complete media separation between the drive and the driven side. Ideal for aggressive media, cleanrooms, and pressure vessels.
Wear-free slip clutch
In the event of an overload, the clutch slips without contact—causing no wear or damage. Automatic overload protection for downstream machine components. In normal operation: completely maintenance-free.
Adjustable torque
The transmissible torque can be adjusted during operation by simply adjusting the air gap. No component replacement is necessary—respond flexibly to changing process requirements.
High-temperature-resistant
SmCo magnets with a Curie temperature of 800 °C — PMKC can operate at temperatures up to +300 °C. Suitable for hot process gases, steam applications, and high-temperature pumps.
In-house design expertise
Magnetic coupling + DC/induction motor + gearbox—all from a single source—as a single-source supplier for the complete drive train. Reduces interface risks and procurement effort.
Seawater-resistant
Fully constructed from 1.4401 stainless steel — seawater-resistant as standard. Suitable for marine, offshore, and underwater applications.
The PMKC Product Line
5 sizes (PMKC-30 to PMKC-90) for 0.5–20 Nm — compact, ultrasonically welded, up to 300 °C, in stock in Hamburg.
COMPACT MAIN LINE
PMKC
5 sizes: PMKC-30 to PMKC-90 · in stock in Hamburg
Specifications
Torque0.5–20 Nm (with a 1 mm gap)
Outer diameter30–90 mm
Total length15–25 mm (low-profile design)
Maximum operating temperatureup to 300 °C
Curie temperature (SmCo)800 °C
HousingStainless steel 1.4401
lidUltrasonically welded (leak-tight as shipped)
Mounting2 grub screws, offset by 90°
Special Features
Low-profile, space-saving design (15–25 mm long)
Ultrasonically welded — leak-proof right from the factory, no adhesive
Operating temperature up to 300 °C thanks to SmCo magnets
Seawater-resistant 1.4401 stainless steel housing — Standard
Pre-drilled, grub screws (90° offset)
Slips through without contact in case of overload — wear-free
Magnetic couplings in useIndustry Examples & Typical Applications
Magnetic couplings in use
Anywhere where leak-free operation, overload protection, or media separation are critical.
Magnetic drive pumps (chemical industry)
Drive for pumps handling aggressive media (acids, alkalis, solvents) — contactless torque transmission through a tank wall, without a shaft seal and without a leakage path. Baffle made of 1.4571 or Hastelloy, depending on the medium. Typical: Designed for 1.5–2× the rated torque as a safety margin.
Hygienic design for CIP/SIP-cleaned bioreactors and stirred tanks. A magnetic coupling enables a sealed agitator drive through the reactor wall without shaft seals. Baffle made of 1.4435 or 1.4404.
Rotary union without a shaft seal ring — no outgassing issues caused by sealing materials. Low-outgassing SmCo magnets are recommended for cleanrooms — PMKC specification available upon request. Typically used in airlocks, chambers, and substrate handling.
Stainless steel housing (1.4401), low-dead-space design, surfaces designed for easy cleaning. No lubricant ingress, no shaft seal friction. Suitable for dosing systems, filling, and sterile processes.
Seawater-resistant PMKC model with a fully stainless steel 1.4401 housing (standard). For pumps in saltwater environments, marine diesel generator peripherals, and offshore platforms.
Torque limiters on test benches with a defined trigger threshold. Display of readings on a circular scale in a different medium (e.g., a pointer in a pressure-tight housing). The air gap precisely sets the torque threshold.
Power and torque transmission in underwater robotic arms without mechanical shaft seals. Seawater-resistant housing 1.4401 — no leakage into the drive or joint enclosure. Used in ROV manipulators, maritime exploration, and underwater inspection systems.
How does a magnetic clutch work?Operating Principle, System Architecture & Animations (Normal Operation + Overload)
How does a PMKC magnetic coupling work?
Two coupling halves equipped with rare-earth magnets face each other end-to-end. Torque is transmitted contactlessly through the air gap—optionally via a baffle plate. No shaft seal, no leakage path.
Two opposite Clutch halves (Magnetic discs with rare-earth magnets on the end face) transmit torque contactless via an axial air gap — optionally through a Retaining wall made of non-magnetic material, which hermetically seals off the drive side from the fluid side. The Air gap distance is adjustable and determines the transmissible torque. In the event of an overload, the coupling slips without causing wear—no shaft seal, no leakage path, no mechanical contact.
Animation: How a magnetic coupling works
Side view (cross-section): two magnetic discs with opposing N/S poles at the air gap — a comparison of normal operation (synchronous) and overload (slippage).
Normal operationLoad ≤ rated torque → output follows synchronously
Normal operation: Der Engine (left) drives the drive pulley. Each one is separated by the air gap North Pole dem S-Pol opposite the output pulley—the pulleys are magnetically locked and run in synchrony without physical contact (the pole bands move upward in unison). Torque is transmitted without mechanical contact, shaft seals, or leakage paths to the Load (right).
OverloadLoad > Rated torque → Output shaft slips without contact (no wear)
Overload: If the load torque exceeds the rated torque, the magnetic poles can no longer drive the opposite disc—they "jump over". The driven pulley slips jerkily and significantly slower than the drive pulley (its pole bands jerk along instead of moving in sync). Since there is no mechanical contact, this results in no wear and tear. As soon as the load decreases, the two discs automatically synchronize again.
What does this mean for you?
Hermetically sealed — no shaft seals as wear parts: scheduled maintenance instead of unscheduled downtime due to leaks and emergency purchases.
Fewer spare part SKUs: Shaft seals, lip seals, and packing glands are no longer consumables—simplifying inventory management.
Predictable operating costs: no fluid loss due to leaks, no disposal costs for leaked working fluids.
Design & SizingInteractive Tool: Find the Right PMKC Size
Which PMKC size is right for you?
Enter the required torque, select the operating mode—the tool recommends the appropriate PMKC size and generates a pre-filled request. In less than a minute.
Your application
Enter the torque and operating mode.
Torque requirement
Nm
The maximum operating torque of the application (without a safety factor).
Enter the required torque on the left—the appropriate PMKC size will appear immediately.
Recommended PMKC size
Utilization
Torque utilization
Specifications
Outer diameter: mm
Housing: 1.4401 stainless steel · Ultrasonically welded lid
Operating temperature up to 300 °C · SmCo magnets
Note: The rated torque applies with a 1 mm air gap. The transmissible torque decreases as the air gap increases. Please consult TEA regarding the air gap-torque characteristic curve.
The required torque exceeds that of the PMKC-90 (20 Nm at a 1 mm gap). TEA offers custom designs and can recommend alternative magnetic coupling solutions.
Note: This tool is intended solely for initial guidance and does not replace a binding design assessment by qualified specialists. Air gap, temperature, speed, and combined loads affect the actual transmissible torque and must be reviewed during the design consultation with TEA. Technische Antriebselemente GmbH assumes no liability for damages resulting from the use of the calculation results.
PMKC Series — Rated Torques at a Glance
All values are based on a 1 mm air gap.
SIZE
Outer diameter
Rated torque (1 mm gap)
Total length
PMKC-30
30 mm
0.5 Nm
15 mm
PMKC-45
45 mm
2.2 Nm
15 mm
PMKC-55
55 mm
3.5 Nm
17 mm
PMKC-70
70 mm
8 Nm
25 mm
PMKC-90
90 mm
20 Nm
25 mm
Housing: 1.4401 stainless steel · Ultrasonically welded lid · Up to 300 °C.
Downloads & Technical Documents
PMKC data sheet and other documents. CAD data available upon request.
Frequently Asked Questions About PMKC Magnetic Clutches
A permanent-magnet coupling transmits torque without contact, across an air gap or through a non-magnetic barrier wall. Two coupling halves with rare-earth magnets face each other and generate the transmitted torque through their attraction. This design enables a fully hermetic separation between drive and output — without a shaft seal, without a leakage path.
The rated torque is also the trip threshold: if the load torque exceeds this value, the coupling slips without contact — and without mechanical wear. The trip threshold can be adjusted by changing the air gap; a larger gap transmits a lower torque.
That depends on the specific coupling. The torque values we specify apply at a 1 mm air gap; with a larger gap, the transmissible torque decreases.
Any non-magnetic material can serve as a barrier or separating wall — typically stainless steel (1.4571/1.4435), Hastelloy, titanium, a plastic wall (e.g. PEEK), or ceramic. The choice of material depends on the medium, pressure, and temperature. The barrier wall itself is part of your apparatus or vessel and is provided on site — it is not part of the coupling's scope of supply.
Yes — since no mechanical friction occurs in normal operation, there is no wear on the magnetic coupling halves. PMKC magnetic couplings are maintenance-free slip couplings.
PMKC: up to +300 °C operating temperature — thanks to SmCo magnets (Curie temperature 800 °C) fitted as standard in PMKC. Suitable for hot process gases, steam applications, and high-temperature pumps.
FDA-compliant designs are not standard, but are generally possible. For specific certification requirements (e.g. EHEDG, USP Class VI), please contact our sales team.
With an electrically conductive barrier or separating wall (e.g. stainless steel, Hastelloy), eddy-current losses occur from medium speeds upward, generating heat in the wall. With a non-conductive material (PEEK, ceramic), these losses are eliminated entirely. We do not offer a separate design service for eddy-current or thermal management.
In principle, angular and parallel misalignments can be compensated — the contactless transmission tolerates small alignment errors. For your specific application, please get in touch.
Yes — e.g. pre-bored with grub screws to customer specification, an ultrasonically welded cover (sealed ex works), and SmCo magnets for high temperatures. The seawater-resistant stainless steel housing (1.4401) is standard anyway.
The PMKC standard series (PMKC-30 to PMKC-90) is usually available from stock in Hamburg in quantities up to approx. 10 units. We supply larger quantities by arrangement. For customer-specific bores/keyways and special versions, please contact our sales team: sales@tea-hamburg.de.
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