Industrial technology has come a long way and is sheltering many industries under its broadening horizon. The advancements have generously offered convenience and ease in all the major sectors of the economy, especially the industrial sector. Exhaustive and tedious tasks have become more time-effective; for instance, the mundane tasks of shifting load from one place to another within factories.
Chains have made workers’ lives easier. Propelling engine parts and making factory equipment move depends on the smooth functioning of the chains. Therefore, choosing the right chain for the right work is crucial.
Roller Chain
In the industry, the roller chain is also known as the transmission chain because it is commonly used for transmissions in motor vehicles. You can then alter the speed of the chain by changing the size of drive sprockets used.
Conveyor Chains
The introduction of conveyor chains has immensely benefited the continuous relocation of material from one point to another with constant speed. Manufacturing industries are cashing in on this advancement. Conveyor chains aim to drive the conveyor system using power transmission.
Parts of the conveyor chain like sprockets and rollers are manufactured using various raw materials. Carbon, steel, and plastics are among the materials used in making conveyor chains. If you need a chain for bakery operations which see high temperatures, you can opt for conveyor chains made of carbon or steel. On the other hand, some working conditions have totally opposite environmental conditions, like freezing plants, so the choice of material would differ.
Leaf Chains
Link plates and pins make up the Leaf Chain. Pins hold the plates together by providing support and tensile strength which it receives from the plates. The plates which are connected from outer side form a press-fit are immobile and held securely in a fixed position. The middle and inner plates from a slip fit with the pins. The pins pass between the plates and receive the shear forces and slide within the inner plate hole when the chain articulates. Furthermore, inner links, end links, outer links and also connecting links all can be used for leaf chain end fittings.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution; what’s ideal for your application depends on the nature of work you require the chain to perform. Roller chains can be supplied in various materials from mild steel chain to Nickel Plated or stainless steel for high strength agricultural chain. Conveyor chains, on the other hand, are ideal to be used in belts for transmission purposes, and leaf chains are the best choice for tension linkage applications, where the chain is kept in tension and can be moved in either direction. Leaf chains are commonly used on forklift trucks and other material handling applications.
While considering which chain to use, you should keep in mind the maintenance and upkeep of the chain mechanism. The sprockets and runners used to control the direction and speed of the chain require lubrication. Regular upkeep and lubrication are important in order to keep the chains working optimally.
A good conveyor chain lubricant like this can work wonders for chains operating at your factory. You can reduce the intensity of the wear and tear process and make your chains performs for an extended period of time.
If you’re looking to improve the performance of your chains, purchase chain and conveyor lubricants from Micro Lube. They provide industrial filtration and lubrication systems in Edmonton and across Canada.
