Synchronous belts transmit power via positive engagement between belt teeth and pulley grooves, making them suitable for applications that require high torque and making them less prone than traditional V-belts to slip in dynamic applications. But even synchronous belts can experience failure if they’re not installed, maintained, and applied properly. One way that toothed belts […]
Belt + chain driven
How to account for belt and pulley inertia during system design
In order for a motor to accelerate or decelerate a load, it must overcome the load’s inertia, or resistance to change in motion, as explained in Newton’s First Law. In belt-driven linear motion systems, the motor has to overcome not only the inertia of the applied load, but also the inertia of the belt, pulleys, […]
BRECOflex launches new BRECOroll timing belt
BRECOflex CO. is launching a new timing belt. It’s the company’s most innovative timing belt to hit the market since its move-series in 2014. It’s called BRECOroll. Typically, toothed timing belts used for material handling tasks are very long. The belt’s load side usually lies in a support rail which causes friction. BRECOroll provides the […]
What are some linear motion options for moving multiple loads independently?
From a mechanical standpoint, one of the more challenging applications in linear motion has traditionally been to move two or more loads independently, as is required in some handling, transport, and inspection applications. While using multiple linear systems, or preassembled actuators, is a simple solution mechanically, this option typically requires a significant amount of space […]
The top 10 linear motion articles of 2020
Suffice it to say, pretty much everything about 2020 has been out of the ordinary, and our recap of the top linear motion articles for this year is no exception. For the first time in recent history, only one (1!) of the top 10 articles is about ball or lead screw technologies — a topic that usually […]
U.S. Tsubaki debuts new Zip Chain Linear Actuator
U.S. Tsubaki has launched its new Zip Chain Actuator. The Tsubaki Zip Chain Actuator is a revolutionary electric linear actuator that provides high speeds and multi-point stopping in a compact footprint. The Tsubaki Zip Chain Actuator is a linear actuator that “zips” together specially segmented chain using a custom designed sprocket. This “zipping” action creates […]
Belt driven actuators for a wide range of applications
Belt driven actuators are the workhorses of the electromechanical world, offering longer stroke lengths and faster speed capabilities than screw driven designs, with less inertia and better resistance to contamination than rack and pinion drives. And although linear motors boast better positioning accuracy than belts, the price-performance ratio of a belt driven actuator is difficult […]
How to specify pulleys for synchronous belt drives
When designing a belt drive system, the first step is to choose the most suitable belt for the application. But the pulleys also play an important role in the performance of the belt — especially in synchronous belt drive systems, where proper meshing of the belt teeth with the pulley grooves can affect everything from […]
Synchronous belt materials: What’s the difference between urethane and neoprene?
Synchronous belts for linear motion applications — such as general transport conveyors or high-speed gantry positioning — are available in a wide range of materials suitable for virtually any application. The most common synchronous belt materials are neoprene and polyurethane, but specialty materials and backing surfaces are also available to address requirements such as temperature extremes, […]
Electric actuators help reconfigure rooms in futuristic flexible residential construction
Traditional residential construction is fraught with inherent inefficiencies. Bedrooms are infrequently used during the day, while living rooms are unoccupied overnight. At a time when real-estate prices are climbing (especially in urban areas) the desire for single-purpose rooms inflates prices. Plus energy consumption is rising in many parts of the world … so the need […]
