Design in Mechanical and

Civil Engineering
Major difference: Static vs Dynamic
Common: Stress, safety factor.
Engineering Units for dynamics:
Velocity, acceleration, Inertia, Work,
Fatigue, etc.
Major Materials?

Standard Parts?
Innovation?

Major Course Content

Not much about design: basic

component selection based on

application parameters. The
components are the basic bricks for
more complicated systems.
Belt & Chain
Gearing
Bearings
Shaft design
Clutches and Brakes
Joining methods
Manufacture
Project (2nd semester)

Belt and Chain Drives

Motor cycle:
Belt? Why?
Bike:
Chain ? Why?

Flexible power
transmission machine
components

Belts/chains are in seamless

loop
seamless loop
Basic Belt Types
flat

round
V/wedge
belt
Timing
(teethed)
Belt

Belts/chains are in seamless

loop
Most belts have high
strength cords,
made from natural
fibers, synthetic
strands, or steel,
embedded in a firm
rubber compound.
Normally, an outer
fabric cover is added
to the surface for
good belt durability.

There may be different belt geometry.

One common point: soft material and
easily bendable (or expendable)

Timing Belts

The term Timing Belt refers to

belt with teeth. This type of belts

has no problem of slippage.
The velocity transmission ratio is
predicatible. If not, replace the
belts

Belts/chains are in
seamless loop
Belts can not carry large load
but chain drives can
Normally roller chain
ains:

Sprocket

Metal,
lubrication is
necessary
How to make
the metal
flexible?
Is it noisy?

Prime Mover of Machines:

Motor

A stand-alone part
What is the output of a motor ?

What is the major specs of a motor ?

What is the output of an engine ?

Belt or Chain Drives ?

Replace Chain
drive with a belt
drive (some early
cars used chain
drive). Why?
Cost;
Noise;
Shock load.
Durability

Belt drive used in todays cars

V-belts or
timing belts?

V-belts or
timing belts?
Which is
better ?

Belt and Chain drives

Major types of flexible power
transmission,

Long distance
Speed reduction,
Special features of belt drives
Special features of chain drives
Design procedure of belt drive
Design procedure of chain
drive.

Belt or Chain Drives ?

Bike: Low n

Motor-bike High n

* Shaft widely separated

* Belt or chain tension? Center distance
adjustable/other means.
* Belt drives are used for higher rotational
speed
* Chain drives are applied at lower
rotational speed.

Relative locations of power

transmission components
Motor or
Engine

n
Gear
Box

Belt
Drive
Chain
Drive

Driven
Machine

Why do we need a belt drive?

Motor or
Engine

Belt
Drive
Gear
Box
1. Vibration damping
2. Prevent Overload
3. Long distance load transmission
4. Low cost
5. Easy to install
6. Low noise level
7. No need for lubrication

A Large Variety of Belt

Types

Flat Belt

Round Belt

Multi-strand V-belt

Timing
Belt

V-belt

Double sided
timing belt

pulley

Pulley groove dimensions

Wedge belt is a type of V-belt with a higher
load capacity. Known as narrow V-belt.

Flat or V-belt (wedge) belt?

Flat belt has one contact

surface,
V-belt has two contact surfaces

Flat & V-Belt Characteristics

No lubrication required
Minimal maintenance
Damp shock loading
Quiet, smooth operation
Fairly inexpensive
Readily available
No rusting
Slippage can occur speed ratios
vary
Slippage provides protection for
overloading
Some environments harm belts

Timing Belt Profile

* The belt tooth profile is a trapezoidal

shape with sides being straight lines (basic
type, or classic type);
* rounded tooth (curvilinear tooth profile)
is identified as the high torque drive, or
HTD ;
* a modified rounded tooth profile with a
higher tooth angle and shallower tooth, or
GT
A correctly designed and installed timing belt
drive should operate successfully for between
8000 and 12000 hrs and have an operating
efficiency of about 98%.
V-belt drive: 95% - 98%
Chain Drive: 96% - 98%

Timing Belt Drives

Number of teeth
in engagement?
Belt Width?
Belt Tension?

V-Belt Characteristics
For pitch diameter
100mm and 250mm

Speed Ratio = 2.5

250

100
SpeedR Down

Driven

1750
rpm

700
rpm

Driving

250

Speed
-Up

Speed Ratio = 0.4

100
N

4375
rpm

Timing-Belt Characteristics
Speed ratio of time belt depends on the number of
teeth on each pulley
Speed Ratio = 75/30=2.5

SpeedDown

Driven

30
75
Number of teeth?

Driving

Speed
-Up

30

75

Speed Ratio = 30/75=0.4

Idler Pulley Arrangement

Purpose of idlers?
Driver

Driver

Idler

Driver

Idler

Driven

Idler
Driven
Driver
Decreased Arc

Idler

Driver

Driven

Increased Arc

Belt Drive Variations

Driver

Driven

Driven

Driver
Reverse drive
Driver

Driven
Driven

Crossed reverse drive

Driven
Driven

Driver
Variable
Speed drive

Driver
Perpendicular Shafts

Driver
Clutch drive

Initial Tension in Belt Drive

Initial Tension in Belt Drive

Slack belts: changeable center

distance, or movable idler

One motor, multiple outputs

Driving
pulley

How to connect the belts and

pulleys?

Identify driven pulleys

and tensioners.

Using belt drive for linear

motion: Design of a lift?
Counterweight

Have belt drives been used for human or cargo

lift design? Why Yes, or Why not?

Angle of contact and its effects

Forces in Belt Drive (Timing Belt)

1. Identify driving pulley;

2. Identify direction of
rotation;
3. Identify tight side;
4. Only tight side carries load

Forces in Friction Based

Belt Drives

F1
V

Driving Pulley

Driven Pulley
F2

What are the relationship between

F1 and F2 ?

Forces in belt drives

Which pulley transmits a smaller load ?
V
F1

Driving Pulley

F2
F1

A small section
F2

force

V-Belt Design
Commercial catalogs provide
design steps and power ratings
for v-belts. Consult the actual
belt suppliers when designing.
The following example shows the
typical belt design process.

Any other diameters?

2880rpm

From 420mm to 408.8mm

When should
you interpolate?

Why?

Why?
Longer belt
experiences less time

We should have 4 grooves here

V-Belt Design Summary

Center distance must be adjustable if

possible.
If fixed center distance is required,
idler pulleys should be used.
If center distance is not given, the
recommended range is
D < Center distance < 3(d+D)
D: the diameter of the larger pulley,
d: the diameter of the smaller pulley.
The angle of wrap should be greater
than 1200, in other words, the speed
reduction ratio is not big.
Two pulley shafts should be parallel
if possible.

Chain Drive Examples

Pitch

SprocketChain
a small and a large

Chain Drive Characteristics

Positive drive no slippage

Maintain constant speed ratios
Carry heavy loads
Long life
Operate in hostile environments
Usually limited to slow speeds

Standard Roller Chain,

and assembly sequence

Sprockets

Force in chain drive

Force in Chain Drives

1. Identify driving sprocket;
2. Identify direction of rotation;
3. Identify tight side;
4. Only tight side carries load
Speed ratio = Ndriven/Ndriving

Chain Drive Design

Guidelines
The Min. number of teeth in a sprocket

should be 17 unless the drive is

operating at a very low speed, say
under 100rpm;
The max. speed ratio should be 7.
The center line distance should be 30 to
50 chain pitches;
Center distance be adjustable.
Tight side on top.
Pitch

Chain Drive Design

Similar procedures to belt design
Determine:
a) Chain Pitch,
b) Number of Teeth in both
sprockets,
c) Chain length in multiple of chain
pitch
Refer to teaching notes for an
example. Commercial catalogs
from suppliers may offer slightly
different design procedures.

Assignment
1) Give two examples of belt or chain
2)

drive applications, using diagrams to

illustrate the applications.
Design a V-belt drive for a 55kW diesel
engine which runs at 1200rpm driving
a piston compressor running at
760rpm. The centre distance is to be
approximately 1600mm and the duty is
20hrs/day. The engine shaft and
compressor shaft are 70mm and 85mm
respectively.

* Why shaft diameters are given here?

Geometric
design?

Pulley bore diameters are dependent on

shaft diameters and suggested max
diameters of pulleys.