How to Choose the Right Conveyor Chain for Your Application

For the maximum performance of a conveyor chain, four critical criteria are required. They are wearing ability, impact resistance, and ultimate strength and fatigue resistance.

The measurement that determines the ultimate strength of the conveyor chain is the weight in pounds required to break the chain on a linear plane. By using a tensile testing machine the usual method of testing is done. ANSI dictates the minimum strength values for each size of the chain.

The material by which the chain is made, its hardening specifications, and its manufacturing process that is used in making its components consist of a pin, center link, and side link is controlled by the manufacturer and determines the strength of the chain.

While comparing chains a conveyor chain's durability value is the most subjective value to consider. Its durability is affected by factors such as chain speed, lubrication, loads, and system design among others. Only the hardness factor is controlled by a manufacturer that impacts the other three criteria.

It is a fact that the durability the factor of a chain from conveyor chain manufacturer depends on how hard the chain is but along with this comes to lower resistance to fatigue and impact. The more the chain is harder the less resistance it becomes to fatigue and impact.

While the chain is moving around its horizontal turns, the side loads between the chain and the rollers or traction wheel make for a subtle bending motion in the center link of the conveyor chain. For fatigue, this particular movement is the catalyst. The fatigue should not go unnoticed and therefore, hence the chain is not replaced at once and the instance of failure is diminished.

In the case of loads that are often stopped and started, the chain particularly the pusher dog is subject to impact failure if an impact-resistant material was not used in its manufacture. The loading and unloading sites are other possible points of impact on a conveyor from the conveyor chain supplier. Impact failures happen with no warning like fatigue failures, but they do not, as a rule, spread out as the fatigue failures do.