SEED Guides Component Selection - Chain Drives < >

Chain drives are an important and widely used type of mechanical element. They have two major uses, that is, for power transmissions and for materials handling purposes on conveyors. In addition, specific types of chain are used for supporting loads and for lifting purposes. As a transmission, chain drives can operate efficiently at high loads and they may be used where precise speed ratios are required.

Chain drives are a very widely used transmission system and can be found extensively in all mechanical industries and even on some civil engineering projects. Applications range from machine tool, marine and aerospace drives, motor cycle and bicycle transmissions. They are also widely used in the nuclear, mining and food industries and on conveying and packaging machinery. For example, in many motor vehicle and shipsą engines, the cam shaft is driven by a chain. Chain drives are used on civil aircraft such as Concorde and military aircraft like the Tornado and even on the Harrier for rotating the jet nozzle mechanism. In addition, railways use chain drives on track laying vehicles and in civil engineering the raising and lowering mechanism for the drop gates used on the Thames Flood Barrier use chains.

Selecting the best type of transmission drive will depend on the specific requirements of the application. Certainly, chain drives are widely used throughout mechanical engineering and, therefore, deserve to be very seriously considered at the preliminary stages of design.