General Engineering Steel Chain Drive Selection Guidelines

GENERAL ENGINEERING STEEL CHAIN DRIVE SELECTION GUIDELINES 

Several different chain and sprocket combinations may be found for a particular application. It is good practice to make two or three alternative selections and then make a final selection based on cost, space and weight constraints, required hfe, or other important factors. 

The smallest pitch chain that will transmit the required power at the specified speed usually is the best selection. Higher speeds generally require a smaller pitch chain. 

The small sprocket must be large enough to accept the specified shaft diameter and keyway. A sprocket is effectively a polygon, and the chain strand rises and falls as each roller engages a sprocket tooth. This oscillation is called chordal action and causes cyclic chain velocity variation, as explained in chapter 5. 

FIGURE 6-1 Typical engineering steel offset sidebar chain drives. 

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