Conveyor chain sprockets and chain life

In the last 30 years, there have been numerous innovations in conveyor technology with greater safety and efficiency.

But changes in this area are not always better.

An innovation is the introduction of sprockets with an even number of teeth to give customers a greater choice when designing a chain conveyor system.

But gears with a large number of teeth are generally not recommended by qualified technical engineers.

If the number of teeth of the cogwheel is uniform, the same teeth are engaged with the same roller every time they rotate, which causes uneven wear and a shorter life.

Similar results occur when the number of teeth of the small cogwheel is a divisor of the number of steps of the conveyor chain.

Choosing an odd number of sprockets will at least double the service life.

Dual-pitch sprockets are often overlooked these days, but they are ideal for saving space and have a longer lifespan than standard sprockets.

Suitable for long pitch chains, double pitch sprockets have more teeth than standard sprockets of the same diameter of the pitch circle and distribute wear evenly across all teeth.

Many transporters today include electronic load monitoring in their control systems. This is a useful safety feature, but technical engineers recommend using it with safety pin sprockets.

Electronic detection is ideal if the load increases slowly (due to bearing damage or dirt contamination) because there is time to stop the drive before damage occurs.

In the case of sudden power or mechanical breakage, a sudden increase in the load can cause significant damage to the conveyor chain and the accessory, since the sensor does not automatically break the connection between the motor and the drive load. This is the reason why pinion pinions are also needed.

Sprockets with safety pins may initially be more expensive than standard sprockets, but may limit downtime and save replacement costs. If the conveyor is overloaded and can be dangerous, the cutting pins will break and stop the conveyor to limit damage.

Once the load or obstruction is removed, only the cutting pins should be replaced, so that the conveyor can move back quickly.

Older sprocket types are often forgotten, but they can offer significant benefits, including longer life, minimize damage in case of conveyor failure and reduce replacement costs.