Sometimes, food manufacturers don’t realize just how costly outdated methods are. As the business modernizes and becomes more complex, tried and true technology and parts may no longer be serving you as well as they once did. In these cases, it’s likely time to consider a roller chain to synchronous belt drive system upgrade.
Today, manufacturers are able to produce more from less—more power from a smaller footprint or greater power from fewer materials. According to Gates, a major PT component that has rapidly evolved and has revolutionized power transmission operations, is the synchronous belt drive.
So, why upgrade from a roller chain to a synchronous belt drive system? Many plant managers are making the switch to synchronous belt drives as a result of modern carbon fiber belt technology that is designed to match roller chain performance while:
- Reducing preventative maintenance headaches.
- Eliminating concerns surrounding health, safety, and environmental impact.
- Exceeding the roller chain’s lifespan.
If you’re unsure whether it’s time to switch from a roller chain to a synchronous belt drive system, consider the following reasons to upgrade.
1. Reduces Preventative Maintenance
The most significant disadvantage of chain drives is that they require proper lubrication to perform at their best.
By chain industry estimates, improperly lubricated chain drives wear approximately 300 times faster than properly lubricated ones. Chain manufacturers acknowledge that up to 90 to 95 percent of all installed chain drives are not correctly lubricated or not lubricated at all.
Without proper lubrication, chains and sprockets wear out quickly, forcing replacement. So, while the chain appears to be the cheaper option upfront, its high-maintenance nature will end up costing you. Not to mention, no matter how well maintained and lubricated, the roller chain eventually elongates, requiring periodic take-up and retensioning.
An additional part of preventative maintenance is hiring a third party for lubrication waste disposal. A case study has shown a company saving $30,000/month by eliminating the need for the waste disposal company to remove the oil/lubrication waste.
A synchronous belt drive system is essentially maintenance-free, requiring no lubrication. In addition, once the belt drive is installed and properly tensioned, it never needs retensioning.
2. Eliminates Health, Safety, and Environmental Concerns
Additionally, because roller chain lubrication methods are an unwelcome chore when maintenance personnel are pressed for time, they will often compensate by utilizing an oil bath or oil spray system.
Oil baths are not only an added system cost but also create the potential for environmental, fire, and occupational safety risks that are both harmful and costly to solve.
In some applications, the lubricant itself poses a problem. Equipment used in the food processing industry, for example, must meet stringent food-grade standards, and leaked lubricant can result in contamination or other safety and environmental hazards.
Finally, because chains are heavy and awkward to move, they increase liability and opportunities for personnel safety risks and injuries. There’s no doubt that synchronous belt drive systems are the overall safer choice.
3. Exceeds Lifespan
One can also expect a synchronous belt drive to last considerably longer than a chain drive. Compared to a standard roller chain drive, a carbon synchronous belt will last up to three times longer than the chain—and the drive sprockets up to 10 times longer.
Customers who purchase equipment that has been equipped with roller chain drives may initially benefit from the lower cost of the power transmission subsystem, but they pay more down the road in maintenance and replacement costs.
Gates Belt-Drive Solutions
Drive system engineers now have the option of developing more market-competitive and innovative equipment by replacing roller chain drives with synchronous belt drives.
The new breed of carbon synchronous belt drive systems can match the load-carrying capability of standard roller chain width-for-width in a pitch range of #35 to #180 and higher. In addition, synchronous belt drives offer the design engineer a number of advantages, including:
- Designing more compact, lighter weight drive systems
- Designing longer-lived drive systems
- Designing maintenance-free drive systems
- Wide range of belt lengths and sprocket diameters to choose from
- Easy integration into current system design
- Suited for a wide range of industrial applications
- Heavy-duty backside idlers to eliminate center-distance limitations
The latest evolution came when Gates introduced its Poly Chain®GT® Carbon™ belt with carbon fiber tensile cords. When used in a dynamic application such as the tensile member of a synchronous belt, carbon fiber delivers many performance attributes never before achieved, including:
- Higher power density for more compact drive designs
- Higher flex fatigue resistance
- Higher modulus (pitch stays constant regardless of load)
- Higher strength-to-weight ratio
- Greater environmental resistance (no degradation from water, oil, and most contaminants)
Learn More from IBT’s Power Transmission Belting Experts
As your experts for power transmission belting, we at IBT want to help you find the best belt for your application. If you’re looking for the knowledge and expertise you need to keep your applications up and running, contact us today at 913-677-3151.
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