belt drive technology - basic belt types

A belt is a loop of flexible material used to link two or more rotating shafts mechanically. Belts may be used as a source of motion, to transmit powerefficiently, or to track relative movement. Belts are looped over pulleys. 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. As a source of motion, a conveyor belt is one application where the belt is adapted to continually carry a load between two points.

Belts are the cheapest utility for power transmission between shafts that may not be axially aligned. Power transmission is achieved by specially designed belts and pulleys. The demands on a belt drive transmission system are large and this has led to many variations on the theme. They run smoothly and with little noise, and cushion motor and bearings against load changes, albeit with less strength than gears or chains. However, improvements in belt engineering allow use of belts in systems that only formerly allowed chains or gears.
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belt drive technology - design and usage guideline

Unlike many old machines that employs gears for transmission method, Newer machines began to grow fond using belt drive, since it's cheaper, offers safety (belts will break on overload, unlike gears that take everything down with it) , easier to apply and it's easier for maintenance. One thing that we might forgot to highlight is that the belt drive efficiency actually depends a lot in heat factor.

Lifetime and performance in timing belts are greatly affected by the type of reinforcement employed. This internal component largely determines belt strength (modulus), creep, flex fatigue, and length variability (caused by humidity and temperature variation). Even though timing belt drives are generally considered to be very efficient, the operating temperatures they are exposed to can have a significant effect. Elastomers that run well hot will generally become much stiffer at low temperatures. This reduces drive efficiency as more energy is required to bend the belt around the pulleys. Elastomers that flex at lower temperatures are available, but they often wear too quickly at mid-range and elevated temperatures.
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