KEVOS® MAKEOS · Power Transmission
Conveyor Drive Train Check (Belt Pull, Motor Power, Reducer Ratio, Gearbox Torque)
For a belt conveyor driven through a gear reducer, is the motor big enough, does the reducer ratio give the right belt speed, and is the gearbox rated for the pulley torque?
Check of a belt conveyor drive train: the load per metre, effective belt pull from friction and lift, the power at the pulley and at the motor with efficiency and margin, the tight and slack side tensions, the pulley torque and speed (as the conveyor drive sizing tool), then the reducer ratio needed from the motor speed, the belt speed with the reducer you have, and the pulley torque with a service factor against the gearbox rating.
Open the calculatorRuns in your browser. No account needed.
How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Throughput | t/h | Material carried per hour. |
| Design belt speed | m/s | Belt speed the conveyor is designed for. |
| Conveyor length (centres) | m | Length between the terminal pulley centres. |
| Lift (positive up) | m | Height the material is lifted (negative for downhill). |
| Belt and idler moving mass per metre (both runs) | kg/m | Mass per metre of the belt and rotating idler parts, both runs. |
| Overall friction factor | Overall friction factor for the idlers and belt (about 0.02–0.03). | |
| Drive pulley friction coefficient | Friction between the belt and the drive pulley (lagged pulleys are higher). | |
| Wrap on the drive pulley | ° | Angle of wrap of the belt on the drive pulley. |
| Drive pulley diameter | mm | Diameter of the drive pulley. |
| Drive efficiency | % | Efficiency of the reducer and couplings. |
| Power margin | % | Extra power for starting and uncertainty. |
| Motor and reducer | ||
| Motor speed | rpm | Full-load speed of the motor. |
| Reducer ratio fitted | Ratio of the reducer you have or propose. | |
| Belt speed tolerance | % | How far the belt speed may differ from the design speed. |
| Motor power fitted | kW | Rated power of the motor fitted. |
| Gearbox rated output torque | N·m | Rated output torque of the gearbox. |
| Gearbox service factor | Service factor on the gearbox for the conveyor duty and hours. | |
Method and formulas
- Load per metre = Q ÷ 3.6v; effective pull = f g L (q_L + q_m) + q_L g H; power = T_e v; motor = power ÷ η × (1 + margin) (as the conveyor drive sizing tool).
- Pulley speed = v ÷ (π D) × 60; ratio needed = motor speed ÷ pulley speed; belt speed with the fitted reducer = π D × motor speed ÷ ratio ÷ 60.
- Pulley torque = T_e D ÷ 2; gearbox duty = torque × service factor.
- Example: 2.7551 kW needed; ratio 20.246 for 1.5 m/s; the fitted 20 : 1 gives 1.5184 m/s and 450.83 N·m gearbox duty.
Limitations
- Steady running with an overall friction factor; detailed resistances and starting need a full conveyor design.
- Power and torque at the design speed.
- Example values are illustrations. Replace them with values for your actual task.
Typical uses
- Check a conveyor drive before raising throughput
- Pick a reducer ratio for a conveyor
- Check a replacement gearbox
Who it is for
- Bulk handling engineers
- Maintenance engineers
- Plant engineers
What you get
- Belt pull, tensions and power
- Reducer ratio and belt speed
- Motor and gearbox against the duty
Interpreting the result
- The lift term dominates on inclined conveyors; on long flat conveyors friction does.
References
- Machinery’s Handbook, 29th edition (Industrial Press, 2012), printed pp. 2487–2512, 2122–2160. Topic reference; no source tables or recommended settings are reproduced.
WORKOS tools are screening and decision-support utilities. Verify important financial, engineering, safety, legal or operational decisions using appropriate professional standards and your organisation’s approved data.
