New Light Power & Precision Drive Design Manual

We are excited about the release of the newly updated Light Power & Precision Drive Design Manual dated January 2015.  This badly needed update includes drive selection data for newly released PowerGrip GT3 belts.  In addition, pulley dimensional tables and long length belting ratings were updated along with numerous additional items. 

The Light Power & Precision Drive Design Manual has always been focused on OEM designers needing detailed technical information about small pitch synchronous and Polyflex JB / Micro-V belt drive systems.  This manual contains extensive technical information useful for designing small belt drive systems including belt and sprocket/pulley dimensions and tolerances.  Many useful calculations are included for static belt tension, belt span tensions, center distance, teeth in mesh, arc of contact and much more.

Download a copy of this new manual from http://www.gates.com/drivedesign.  For additional information, contact Product Application Engineering at ptpasupport@gates.com or at 303-744-5800.

Micro-V Belts

Gates has a line of belts that we call Micro-V. They are called this because the belt is made up of a band of small V-belts put together. They are also called Poly-V belts by others in the industry. These belts are actually very common, in fact, you may have worked on one, and not even known it! Micro-V belts come in different sizes, or sections. One of these sections is called K-section, this is the type of belt that runs the accessory drives (alternator, water pump, etc…) under the hood of your car. While they are commonly called serpentine because of the way that they move around the pulleys, these are in fact K-section Micro-V belts. K-section belts are mainly used on automobiles and industrial gasoline and diesel motors. The less known sections of Micro-V’s include H, J, L, and M sections. H section is very small, and is typically not used for design except by large OE’s. J , L, and M section belts are the standard industrial line that we can help you design with. These belts push a lot of power for their size, are quiet, and can handle higher speeds well. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that we don’t have any off the shelf pulleys for them. This means that you would either need to have something made to order, or you could contact us for the groove information to create your own pulleys. You can find more information about these belts in our Light Power and Precision Drive Design Manual or as always by contacting us directly.

Gates Drive Design Manuals

Customers often ask where they can find technical information about Gates belt drives. The Gates Drive Design Manuals are a great resource for this type of information.

There are several manuals available at www.gates.com/drivedesign/:

• Poly Chain® GT® Carbon
• PowerGrip® GT2®
• Heavy Duty V-Belt
• HVAC
• Light Power and Precision
• Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger

Below is a sampling of the topics included in the manuals:

• Drive selection procedures (including power rating tables)
• Gates hardware specifications (for standard sheaves, sprockets, bushings, etc).
• Discussion of design considerations such as installation tension, conductivity, alignment, noise, flywheel effect, NEMA motors, tolerances, idlers, etc.
• Standard calculations
• General troubleshooting guidelines

Details Needed for Belt Drive Selection

One of the valuable services offered by Gates Application Engineers is assistance with belt drive selection. However, many requests do not contain all of the information needed for proper design and evaluation. When you call or email an application, please include the following details:

1. A description of the application (fan, pump, conveyor, etc.)
2. The hours per day that the drive will operate
3. DriveR rpm and horsepower/torque rating
4. DriveN machine speed or required speed ratio
5. Approximate center distance required
6. Shaft diameters (if available)
7. Any space restrictions
8. Any environmental concerns (oil, high temperatures, etc)

For more complex drives involving idlers, multiple driveNs, or special duty cycles, additional information may be needed.