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How to Measure Your Roller Chain?

time2021/03/01

Before buying new roller chains for your machine, you should measure the size of the old roller chain. We take you through the simple steps of measuring your roller chain and then how to identify it.
Roller chain is the type of chain drive most commonly used for the sketch of roller chain,  mechanical power on many kinds of domestic, industrial and agricultural machinery, including conveyors, wire- and tube-drawing machines, printing presses, cars, motorcycles, and bicycles. It consists of a series of short cylindrical rollers held together by side links. It is driven by a toothed wheel called a sprocket. It is a simple, reliable, and efficient means of power transmission.

Roller chain is used in power transmission applications. Specialty applications for roller chain include oil-field chain, bindery chain, lift chain, pin oven chain, film feeder chain, and coupling chain.

Before buying new roller chains for your machine, you should measure the size of the old roller chain. We take you through the simple steps of measuring your roller chain and then how to identify it.
 
Chain Pitch
To find the chain pitch, you’re looking for the distance between the center of two pins. For larger chains you might be able to find this using a ruler or tape measurer, but a caliper is always your best bet.
Chain Pitch
 
Roller Width
The roller is the cylindrical component in between the two plates of the link, through which is the pin. Use the caliper to measure the distance from both ends of the roller, which should extend to the inside of both plates.
Roller Width
 
Roller Diameter
The roller diameter is essentially the thickness of the cylinder. Slide the caliper against the rounded sides of the roller to determine the diameter.
Roller Diameter
 
Plate Height
Each roller chain link has plates on either side. These plates can either be straight (sometimes known as a straight sidebar) or curved. Lay the chain flat on a table so that the rollers are visible from the top. Looking at the chain from the side, simply measure from the top of the plate to the bottom to determine the height. For a curved plate, measure at the or tallest part surrounding the pin.
Plate Height
 
Plate Thickness
Keeping the chain flat with the rollers facing up, to find the plate thickness you will be measuring the width of the plate. This is where a caliper is very important as thicknesses can range from 0.03” to 0.218” with plenty of outliers.
Plate Thickness
 
Now that you have your roller chain dimensions, contact us more information about our products, or tell us your needs, our professsional team is always glad to help you.