White Paper Download: Belt and Chain Drives

Flat belts find considerable usage in applications requiring small pulley diameters, high belt surface speeds, low noise levels, low weight and inertia. They cannot be used where absolute synchronization between pulleys must be maintained because they rely on friction for their proper functioning, All flat belts except the toothed type mentioned in the next data section are subject to creepage because of the relative motion between the pulley surface and the adjacent belt surface which is under load deformation from the combined tension and flexural stresses.

Flat belts must be kept under tension to function and therefore require tensioning devices. Fractional H.P. belts are manufactured two ways. 1. Woven and 2. Film. Woven belts are usually made from Nylon or Dacron fibers and impregnated with rubber. Sometimes they are made from fiberglass for high temperature applications. They can operate at pulley speeds up to 140,000 R.P.M. and pulley diameters as small as 3/8 inch.