Timing pulley and belt are important components in at automotive engines and mechanical equipment, used to synchronize the movement of power shafts.
The transmission system composed of the timing pulley and the belt has the advantages of high transmission efficiency, good stability, no slippage and low noise.
In this blog post, I will give you a comprehensive introduction to timing pulley and belt.
What is Timing Pulley?
Timing pulleys have teeth on the outside that mesh with the timing belt, and an internal bore that connects to the power shaft.
Timing pulleys are used to synchronize and evenly rotate two shafts.
Common materials for timing pulleys are: powder metallurgy materials, aluminum, steel, and plastic.
Applications of Timing Pulley
Timing pulleys have a wide range of applications, especially in power transmission systems that require precise synchronous movement.
Automotive
In automotive internal combustion engines, timing pulleys are used to synchronize the rotation of the crankshaft and camshaft. The crankshaft rotates and drives the timing belt, which in turn drives the camshaft. This allows the engine intake and exhaust valves to open and close correctly.
Industrial Machinery
Timing pulleys are utilized to synchronize the movement of different mechanical parts to ensure precise movement of conveyor belts, robotic arms, etc.
Printing industry
Timing belt pulleys help achieve precise movement of the printhead and paper handling mechanisms of printers.
CNC machining
CNC machine rely on timing belt pulleys to precisely control the movement of cutting tools
Types of Timing Pulley
The tooth profile of the timing pulley and timing belt affects the efficiency, noise level and torque transmission capacity of the transmission system.
Based on the tooth profile, the timing belt pulleys can be divided into the following types:
1. Trapezoidal tooth profile
Trapezoidal teeth are the most common and traditional tooth profile, with high transmission efficiency, but wear faster in high-speed and high-torque applications.
Pitch types: MXL, XL, L, H, XH and XXH.
2. HTD (High Torque Drive) tooth profile
HTD is designed for high torque applications and has high strength and strong load capacity. HTD uses a circular arc tooth profile, which can make the load distribution more uniform.
Common pitches include 3mm, 5mm, 8mm and 14mm.
3. GT (Gates tooth profile)
Description: The GT series has round teeth, providing smooth meshing and high precision. It can reduce vibration and improve the durability of the system.
The pitch of GT2 is 2mm, while the pitch of GT3 is 3mm.
What is Timing Belt?
The timing belt meshes with the timing pulley and plays an important role in synchronizing the rotation of two shafts. Its teeth are trapezoidal and curved. The materials used include silicone, polyurethane, nylon rubber, and synthetic rubber. Polyurethane timing belts stand out for their excellent mechanical strength and high precision.
Powder Metallurgy Timing Pulley
Powder metallurgy (PM) is a near-net-shape manufacturing process and is recognized as a green technology due to its high raw material utilization and lower energy consumption.
How are powder metal timing pulley made?
In this process, metal powders, usually FC-0205 or Sint C11, are mixed with binders and evenly distributed. The mixture is then compacted using a PM press, where punches and a core rod help shape the powder into the mold cavity. The resulting part is known as the green compact.
Next, the green compact is sent to the sintering furnace for high-temperature sintering process. This process fuses the metal particles together, forming a solid part.
Manufacturers often perform secondary operations like sizing, surface treatment, and heat treatment on sintered timing pulleys to meet your specific requirements.
Advantages of Sintering
Powder metallurgy and sintering process offer the following benefits:
Cost-effective in Mass Production
PM is highly cost-effective for mass production due to its minimal material waste and fewer secondary processing steps.
High Quality Consistency
It is easy to achieve high-quality consistency for sintered timing pulleys across different batches, as the raw materials and process parameters are carefully controlled.
Tight Tolerances
Powder metal timing pulleys offer tight dimensional tolerances, typically ranging from IT8 to IT9. Through the sizing process, tighter tolerances of IT6 to IT7 can be achieved.
High Material Design Flexibility
Metal powders can be customized by adding alloy elements to enhance the mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and other properties of the sintered products.
Complex Shapes
Powder metallurgy is well-suited for manufacturing components with complex shapes, such as helical gears, bevel gears, sprockets, pulleys, and more.
Download our sintered timing pulley products list.
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