What is a Conveyor Chain Sprocket?

Conveyor sprockets are used to transfer power to conveyor chains. Simply put, they are wheels with teeth that match a conveyor chain to transmit motion. They come in single, double, and up to quintuple formats. Common specifications for conveyor sprockets include the number of teeth, bore diameter, hub diameter, outside diameter, whether the hub is on one side or both, length-through bore, and weight.

The choice of material depends on power transmission and speed, operating temperature, exposure to corrosive environments, and noise factors. Where noise is a consideration, FB adopts noise reduction tooth profile technology. Conveyor sprockets with hubs made of stainless steel or hardened steel are commonplace.

Parts of a Sprocket

01/

Sprocket Teeth

The teeth engage with the bush or roller of a conveyor chain. As the sprocket turns, the teeth pull the chain in the direction of rotation. The number of teeth is determined by the outside diameter (OD). It's also worth considering that if a sprocket has an even number of teeth, the same tooth will engage with the same rollers on each rotation, so using an odd number of teeth can increase service life. A similar result occurs if the number of teeth on the smaller sprocket is a divisor of the number of pitches on the conveyor chain.

02/

Hub

The hub diameter is the distance across the hub from one side to the other. This can be made to almost any size but must be sized to provide the required strength, allowing for the keyway and set screws. This diameter must not exceed the pitch circle diameter minus the conveyor chain's plate height. Chain movement across oversized hubs can result in the chain lifting from the sprocket's teeth, leading to increased power transfer. Hubs can be on one or both sides and can have different diameters to suit the application. The width of the hub must be sufficient to allow a long enough key to withstand the torque transmitted by the shaft and maintain the stability of the sprocket on the shaft.

03/

Bore

Most conveyor chain sprockets are supplied bored and keyed. Also referred to as "bored to size," these sprockets are mounted onto a shaft with a matching keyway. Taper lock clamping sets can make assembly and disassembly easier.

04/

Pitch Circle Diameter (PCD)

This is the diameter across to the pitch circle, which is the circle followed by the centerline of the chain pins as the conveyor sprocket turns and meshes with the chain.

05/

Tooth Flank

This is the part of the tooth that comes into direct contact with the conveyor chain bush or roller and is the surface that receives the most wear.

Model NO.: s120

Conveyor Chain Equipment: Sprocket

Conveyor Sprocket: Conveyor Equipment

Conveyor Sprocket Equipment: Sprocket Chain

Manipulate Way: Forced Manipulation

Changes Way: Stepped

Specification: s-100-150

Material	C45, A3, 40Cr, 20CrMnTi, 42CrMo, copper, stainless steel and so on as per your request
process	Forged
Heat treatment	High frequency quenching, heat treatment, hardened teeth
Surface treatment	Blacking, galvanization, chroming, electrophoresis, color painting, or customer requirement
Performance	High precision, high wear resistance, low noise, smooth and steady, high strength
Model number	Standard or nonstandard (single duplex and triple)20A10-100, 40A10-100, 60A10-100, 80A10-100, 100A10-100. 20B10-100, 40B10-100, 60B10-100, 80B10-100, 100B10-100

How do know when a sprocket needs to be replaced?

Once conveyor chain sprockets have worn to a certain degree, they can cause rapid chain wear and will need to be replaced at the next available opportunity. However, replacing them too early incurs unnecessary costs. By examining the faces of the sprocket teeth, you should be able to tell immediately whether a sprocket has worn.

When replacing sprockets, it is essential that they are properly aligned with the shafts, as misaligned sprockets are a common cause of premature chain wear. When the shafts and sprocket tooth faces are accurately aligned, the load is distributed evenly across the entire chain width, which helps achieve maximum service life. A straight edge, nylon line, or laser sight tool should be used across the machined faces of the sprockets in several positions to check for wobble. Once the sprockets have been correctly aligned, you should drive the keys home as a final check.

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