solidworks, Roller Chain??

Being a "newbe" to the SolidWorks world, how do others represent roller chain in an assembly? I have a special chain
conveyor approximately 85 inches, center to center, using 4 strands across the conveyor bed. The chain is 5/8 inch pitch
roller chain with a set of extended pins and a special drive finger on every 4th link. I'm using a 40 tooth sprocket on 1
1/4 inch shafts at each end. The chain ends up being 312 pitches long.
I've been fussing with a single strand of chain, using all sorts of mates, trying to develop a complete strand. After making
the inner and outer links, I'm using arrays to make the long, flat sections of the strand. The end links are mated to the
sprockets with a concentric mate to the tooth form and then using other arrays, the rest of the inner and outer links are a
shown around the sprocket. Somehow, what I'm doing doesn't seem right. When I get done, all of the pieces are locked into
position and I can't move them along the path. This assembly is getting big too, 1258 parts before adding guides, frame,
drive or any of the other stuff. I'm using large assembly mode and loading everything lightweight to help with size.
It would seem like there should be an easier/better way to do this so I'm asking the group,
"Is there an easy/better way to represent roller chain? How is it done?"
R. Wink

I model chains as a part. Sketch the centre line, model a link then use
a curve pattern to attach to centre line, you have to make the length
of the centre line divisable by the pitch obviously. I have examples if
you like.

steve

The first question to answer is what is the purpose? Do you really need to
show all the links? When we do chains, we make the chain part by putting
the attaching links at the ends, or a couple links on a sprkt, then the
whole rest of the chain is represented by a swept volume that represents the
chain path. Take the profile of the link, sweep it along the pitch line
path, and you have a simple chain. You can make the path a particular
length by using an equation that holds the length to a certain number of
pitches.

To spend your time mating all the links, buys you basically nothing, as you
have found. Let me know if you need an example. FYI, if you need the RC
chain links, I have a couple files with all the sizes as configs.

WT





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Ditto what Wayne just said. Sounds like you're spending an inordinate
amount of time on this project, unless it is for visualization.

I have put some RC chain files on our user group site. Go to
http://kcswug.com/models/ and you will find the collection.

In the chain assy, the path for the sweep would normally have the ends
constrained to the pitch diameter of the sprkts, but you could also just
dimension them. You can also modify the path to suit, such as putting in an
idler, changing the diameters, etc. The whole premise is that you represent
the path of the chain with the volume that will sweep around the path. Take
a look and let me know if something is not obvious.

WT





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This is exactly why I asked..there had to be an simpler, easier way. I hadn't thought of sweeping a cross section along a
center line with only the ends mated. Although, I'm going to do the straight section between the sprockets with the special
finger to make sure it works. That's simple enough with an array.
Could/would you provide information about how to constrain the length of a line using an equation? I've never done that
before. I can constrain the distance between the sprocket centers using an equation but I've tried it on a line.
R. Wink

I already posted a link here for you to download an example. In that file,
I created the equation that will control the distance between the ends based
on a total length of chain. Take a look at that stuff and see if it makes
sense.

WT






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