Belt Drive Calculator v1

Subject

Belt drive systems are a means of transferring rotary power from one shaft to at least one other in circumstances that would not suit the use of gears.

The principal advantage of using a drive belt as opposed to gears is similar to that in using a slipping clutch. If the drive load should exceed the capability of the output shaft, belt tension can be set to slip preventing unnecessary damage to equipment. Other advantages are flexibility and distance between input and output shafts.

Belt Drives provides four calculation options, each of which may be used for closed (complete) systems or part of a more complicated (multi-stage) setup. In which case, the various stages may be calculated individually, i.e. the output data from one stage in the system may be used as the input for the succeeding stage.

The belt drive calculator includes calculation options for; 2-pulley, twin-2-pulley and 3-pulley systems. It provides contact angles and lengths for each pulley in the system and also calculates the overall belt length dependent upon the input pulley configuration.

For help using this calculator see Technical Help

Belt Drive Calculator - Options

2-Pulley System

Calculates the performance characteristics of a two-pulley system; one driver and one driven. This calculation option may be used in multiple stage 2-pulley systems by applying the output data from one system to the input data of the next.

You enter:	and the belt-drive calculator will provide:
Belt tension Pulley radii Output pulley speed Pulley pitch	Power Input pulley speed Pulley torques Belt speed Contact angles Contact lengths Belt length Tensioning force

2x2-Pulley System

Calculates the performance characteristics of a twin two-pulley system; one driver, an intermediate driven/driver and an output driven pulley. This calculation option represents a two-stage calculation as defined above.

You enter:	and the belt-drive calculator will provide:
Drive belt tension Pulley radii Output pulley speed Pulley pitches	Power Input pulley speed Pulley torques Belt speeds Contact angles Contact lengths Belt lengths Tensioning forces

3-Pulley System (co-ordinates)

Calculates the performance characteristics of a three-pulley system; one driver, and two driven pulleys. You enter the 'x,y' co-ordinates of the pulley wheel centres to configure the system.

You enter:	and the belt-drive calculator will provide:
Drive belt tension Pulley radii Output pulley speed Pulley x,y coordinates	Power Pulley speeds Pulley torques Belt speed Pulley centreline angles Contact angles Contact lengths Belt length Tensioning force

3-Pulley System (centres)

Calculates the performance characteristics of a three-pulley system; one driver, and two driven pulleys. You enter the pitch-distances between the pulley wheel centres to configure the system.

You enter:	and the belt-drive calculator will provide:
Drive belt tension Pulley radii Output pulley speed Pulley pitches	Power Pulley speeds Pulley torques Belt speed Pulley centreline angles Contact angles Contact lengths Belt length Tensioning force

Check minimum system requirements