Synchronous belts are common in motion systems, providing smoother operation and better high-speed performance than chains and lacking the problems of slipping and stretching that can plague V-belts in precision applications. But one downfall of synchronous, or toothed, belts is the noise they produce. Although quieter than a chain drive, a synchronous belt can still generate noise […]

Both types of belts commonly used in linear positioning applications — V-belts and synchronous designs — have internal tensile cords that serve as the primary load-carrying component. Or, as one engineer from Gates Mectrol put it, the tensile cords are the “muscle” of the belt. V-belts and synchronous belts are offered with tensile cords of various materials, including polyester, […]

Belt driven linear systems are common in applications that require long travel and high speed, such as gantry robots and material handling and transport. The motors of choice for these systems are often servo motors, for their ability to accurately control position, speed, and torque. Sizing and selecting the servo motor requires determining both the continuous […]