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MEC331
Machine Element Design

Chapter 5:
Belts
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Topics
5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and
Designation
5.2 Belts: Flat, V- and Toothed Belts.
5.3 Design of Flat Belt and V-Belt Pulley
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Flexible Machine Elements

1. Inherent advantage
2. It can absorb a good amount of shock and vibration
3. It can take care of some degree of misalignment between the
driven and the driver machines
4. Long distance power transmission, in comparison to other
transmission systems, is possible.
5. Typical flexible drives are belt, chain, rope and roller chain
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

V- belt

Chain used in
Ducati 1199
Panigale
Pulleys with rope
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Industrial Applications of Flexible Machine

Element

1. Used in conveying systems

▫ To transportation material over a distance
2. Used for transmission of power.
▫ To run various industrial appliances using prime movers like
electric motors, I.C. Engine etc.
3. Replace rigid type power transmission system. .)
▫ e.g. A gear drive may be replaced by a belt transmission
system
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Conveyor Belt
Power transmission
belts – Flat belts
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Belt Drive

1. A belt is a looped strip of flexible material, used to

mechanically link two or more rotating shafts.
2. They may be used as a source of motion, to efficiently
transmit power, or to track relative movement. Belts are
looped over pulleys.
3. In a two pulley system, the belt can either drive the
pulleys in the same direction, or the belt may be
crossed, so that the direction of the shafts is opposite.
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Operating principle

1. The belt drives primarily operate on the friction principle.

2. Friction between the belt and the pulley is responsible for
transmitting power from one pulley to the other.
3. Driving pulley will give a motion to the belt and the motion of the
belt will be transmitted to the driven pulley.
4. Presence of friction between the pulley and the belt surfaces,
tensions on both the sides of the belt are not equal. So it is
important that one has to identify the higher tension side and the
lower tension side
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Introduction

1. Consequence of failure:
▫ Belts will not break because of overload.
2. Versatility in shaft connection:
▫ Belts are more versatile with many geometries as well as large
centre distances.
3. Effect on shaft bearing life:
▫ Belts increase bearing load because of the initial tension
required.
4. Speed ratio:
▫ Belts will not provide exact speed ratio because of the
slippage.
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Advantages of Belt Drive

1. They are simple. They are economical.

2. Parallel shafts are not required.
3. Overload and jam protection are provided.
4. Noise and vibration are damped out. Machinery life is prolonged
because load fluctuations are cushioned (shock-absorbed).
5. They are lubrication-free. They require only low maintenance.
6. They are highly efficient (90–98%, usually 95%). Some
misalignment is tolerable.
7. They are very economical when shafts are separated by large
distances.
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Disadvantages of Belt Drive

1. The angular-velocity ratio is not necessarily constant or equal to the

ratio of pulley diameters, because of belt slip and stretch.
2. Heat buildup occurs. Speed is limited to usually 7000 feet per
minute (35 meters per second). Power transmission is limited to
370 kilowatts (500 horsepower).
3. Operating temperatures are usually restricted to –31 to 185°F (–35
to 85°C).
4. Some adjustment of center distance or use of an idler pulley is
necessary for wear and stretch compensation.
5. A means of disassembly must be provided to install endless belts.
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Belts vs Chains

Belts Chains

Use When High Speed, Low T High T, Low Speed

Speed 2500 < Vt < 7000 ft./min V < 1500 ft./min

Disadvantages Must design with standard Must be lubricated, wear,

lengths, wear, creep, noise, weight, vibration
corrosive environments, slip,
temperature, when must have
tension need idler

Advantages Quiet, flexible, cost Strength, length flexibility

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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Belt construction
1. Materials
1. Leather
2. Rubber
3. Canvas

2. Layers
1. Single-ply
2. Double-ply
3. Triple-ply
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Belt Drives

1. Greater angle of contact is better

▫ Idler pulley is used for the purpose
2. Idler is used to increase the angle of contact which
should not be less than 160 deg.
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Belt Drive System

1. Open 2. Cross
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Example of Open system

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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Example of Cross system

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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Crossed belt on a high speed card

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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

3. Serpentine
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Example of Serpentine (Cross)

system
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Others-Quarter turn Belt

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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Others-Compound Belt
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5.1 Introduction, Terminology, Classification and Designation

Others-Stepped Belt
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5.2 Belts: Flat, V- and Toothed Belts

Type of Drive Belt

1. Flat
▫ run on tapered pulleys
2. V
▫ Most common for machine design, several types
3. Round
4. Timing
▫ Have mating pulleys to minimize slippage
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5.2 Belts: Flat, V- and Toothed Belts

Type of Drive Belt

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5.2 Belts: Flat, V- and Toothed Belts

Flat Belts

1. Rectangular in cross section

mounted on pulleys
2. Crowning on the pulley to
prevent the belt from running off
the pulley
3. Mostly used in the factories and
workshops, where a moderate
amount of power is to be
transmitted, from one pulley to
another when the two pulleys
are not more than 8 metres
apart.
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5.2 Belts: Flat, V- and Toothed Belts

V - Belts

1. Designed to ride inside the

groove of the pulley or
sheave.
2. Higher friction, Less back
force, Short shaft sizes
3. Mostly used in the
factories and workshops,
where a great amount of
power is to be transmitted,
from one pulley to another,
when the two pulleys are
very near to each other.
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5.2 Belts: Flat, V- and Toothed Belts

Round Belts

1. Used in the factories and

workshops, where a great
amount of power is to be
transmitted, from one
pulley to another, when
the two pulleys are more
than 8 meters apart.
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5.2 Belts: Flat, V- and Toothed Belts

Timing Belts

1. Cogged belt, that drives the

camshaft in an internal-
combustion engine
2. A timing belt is typically
made of rubber with high-
tensile fibers running the
length of the belt as tension
member.
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5.3 Design of Flat Belt and V-Belt Pulley

V-Belt Drive Design Process

1. Need rated power of the driving motor/prime mover. BASE sizing on this
rated power.
2. Service factor based on type of driver and driven load.
3. Center distance (adjustment for center distance must be provided or use
idler pulley) nominal range D2 < C < 3(D2 + D1)
4. Power rating for one belt as a function of size and speed of the smaller
sheave
5. Belt length (then choose standard size)
6. Sizing of sheaves (use standard size). Most commercially available
sheaves should be limited to 6500 ft/min belt speed.
7. Belt length correction factor
8. Angle of wrap correction factor. Angle of wrap on smaller sheave should
be greater than 120 deg.
9. Number of belts
10. Initial tension in belts
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5.3 Design of Flat Belt and V-Belt Pulley

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5.3 Design of Flat Belt and V-Belt Pulley

Belt Drive
1. The friction force on the belt is assumed uniform through out the
arc of contact.
2. Tight side tension is greater than slack side tension.
3. Transmitted Power, P;

where; P = Tw or P = (F1 − F2 )V

dn
4. Torque, T; V=
60

T = (F1 − F2 )r
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5.3 Design of Flat Belt and V-Belt Pulley

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5.3 Design of Flat Belt and V-Belt Pulley

Belt Drive
1. The speed ratio of the pulley;
n1 r2
=
n2 r1
2. The angle ;
 r2 − r1 
 = sin −1

r1 = pitch radius of small pulley
r2 = pitch radius of large pulley

 c  c = centre distance

1. Contact angle on the small pulley or the angle of wrap,

 =  − 2 rad

 = 180o − 2 degree
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5.3 Design of Flat Belt and V-Belt Pulley

Belt Length and Centre Distance

1. Belt pitch length

L = 2c +  (r2 − r1 ) + (r2 − r1 )
1 2

c
2. Centre distance

1 2
c = b + b − 8(r 2 −r1 )
2

4  
where

b = L −  (r2 − r1 )
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5.3 Design of Flat Belt and V-Belt Pulley

Maintaining The Initial Tension of the Belt

1. Some initial tension of a belt is lost as the belt stretches
over a period of time.
2. A few method can be used to maintain the initial tension
of the belt:
1. Using a pivoted-overhung motor drive
2. Changing the belt and pulley materials to increase the
coefficient of friction
3. Increase centre distance during operation by
3. using a drive with an adjustable centre distance.
4. The function of idler is to increase the contact angle
and thus increasing the capacity of the drive.
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5.3 Design of Flat Belt and V-Belt Pulley

Belt Tension Relationship

1. Centrifugal force, Fc represents the inertia effect of the belt.

w 2
Fc = V
g
2. Flat or round belt drives:

F1 − Fc
= e f
F2 − Fc
3. V-belt drives:
f
F1 − Fc sin 
=e
F2 − Fc
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5.3 Design of Flat Belt and V-Belt Pulley

Belt Tension Relationship

1. Tight side tension of V-belt drives can be determined by:

   T1
F1 = Fc +  
  − 1  r1
where
f
 =e
sin 
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5.3 Design of Flat Belt and V-Belt Pulley

Belt Tension Relationship

1. The smaller contact angle of the driver pulley leads to

larger belt tension and hence it critical.
2. Design of belt drive is on the basis of small pulley
geometry.
3. For a given maximum tension, F1, a V-belt can transmit
more torque and power compared to flat belt.
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Reference
1. A.C. Ugural, Mechanical Design: An Integarted
Approach, 1st Edition, McGraw-Hill, Inc., 2003
2. Machine Design, R-S-Khurmi-J-K-Gupta-S-chand, 2005
3. J. Shingley, C. Mischke, and R. Budynas, Mechanical
Engineering Design, 7th Edition, McGraw-Hill, Inc.,2004.
4. Lecture Notes, Rozaini Othman