Shaft coupling product attributes

A flexible coupling is usually sold as parts: two hubs and an insert, or a hub pair with a separate element, each with its own part number. Supplier data often describes the coupling size and torque but not what a SKU actually contains, so orders arrive with a missing spider or one hub too few. What is included in the item is a core attribute, not a note.

Bores cause most returns. Each hub can have a different bore, the bore can be rough, finished or bushed, and the keyway and setscrew details must match the shaft. Inch and metric bores that look close in a list, such as 5/8 inch and 16 mm, do not fit each other. The record needs both bores, the bore type and the keyway as separate fields.

Performance data must be read with its basis. Torque ratings differ between nominal and peak values and change with insert material, while misalignment limits are often quoted as maximums that should not be combined. Hazardous-area use and balance requirements add documentation that belongs in evidence fields. Structuring these lets engineers and counter staff select the same part.

The shaft couplings attribute template

18 candidate fields in 5 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 9 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Manufacturer Part Number (MPN) manufacturer_part_number_mpn	Identifier	Core	JC-095-0625
Sold As / Components Included sold_as_components_included	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Single hub, insert sold separately
GTIN / UPC gtin_upc	Identifier	Channel / evidence	081234509507

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Nominal (Rated) Torque nominal_rated_torque	Number · in-lb	Core	194 in-lb
Maximum Speed max_speed	Number · rpm	Core	9,000 rpm
Max Parallel Misalignment max_parallel_offset_misalignment	Number · in	Buyer decision	0.015 in
Max Angular Misalignment max_angular_misalignment	Number · °	Buyer decision	1°

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Coupling Type coupling_type	Controlled list	Core	Jaw (elastomeric insert)
Coupling Size / Series coupling_size_series_designation	Controlled list	Core	Size 095
Bore Type bore_type	Controlled list	Core	Finished bore with keyway and setscrew
Insert / Element Material insert_element_material	Controlled list	Buyer decision	NBR (Buna-N)
Hub Material hub_material	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Sintered iron

Fit & compatibility

What the item mounts to, mates with, replaces or works alongside.

Check before use: Keep model and series qualifiers. A similar-looking part is not a verified fit until a source says so.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Bore Diameter, Hub 1 bore_dia_1	Number · in	Core	0.625 in
Bore Diameter, Hub 2 bore_dia_2	Number · in	Core	0.875 in
Keyway Size keyway_size	Text · in	Core	3/16 x 3/32 in

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Bore & Keyway Standard bore_keyway_standard	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	ANSI/AGMA 9002 (inch bores)
ATEX Marking atex_marking	Text	Channel / evidence	II 2G Ex h IIB T4 Gb
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	United States

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• Sold as / components included
• Insert operating temperature range
• Interchange / cross-reference part numbers
• Torsional stiffness / backlash
• Maximum bore for rough-bore hubs

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing shaft couplings ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Can I get one hub bored 5/8 inch and the other 7/8 inch, both with keyways?
• Is the spider included in this price, or do I order it separately?
• How much misalignment will it take between my motor and the pump?
• Is there a softer or harder insert for this size to change the damping?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

FAQ