1. Structural Parameters

Pitch

Pitch is the core selection parameter, determining load capacity, running stability and sprocket matching.

• Small pitch: suitable for high speed, light load and smooth conveying.

• Large pitch: suitable for low speed, heavy load and impact conditions, preferred for elevators and agricultural equipment.

Single / Double / Multi-strand Structure

• General light-duty conveyor: single-strand chain.

• Heavy-duty conveyor, elevator and agricultural machinery: double or multi-strand chain for higher load capacity and impact resistance.

Inner Inner Width & Roller Outer Diameter

Determine the fit with sprocket groove, guide rail and installation space. Unmatched dimensions cause chain jamming, deviation and accelerated wear.

Chain Type Structure

• Standard roller chain: general drive and ordinary conveyor.

• Double pitch conveyor chain: long-distance light-duty conveyor.

• Cranked link / hollow pin chain: elevator and agricultural machinery, easy to install attachments such as buckets and scrapers.

• Steel pintle chain: heavy-duty farm machinery, anti-twist and anti-mud performance.

2. Mechanical Load Parameters

Ultimate Tensile Load & Allowable Working Load

Select according to equipment rated load and starting impact load with sufficient safety margin. Elevators and farm machines with frequent start-stop need higher allowable load to avoid elongation or fracture.

Safety Factor

• Ordinary conveyor: 5～8

• Bucket elevator & reciprocating conveyor: 8～12

• Agricultural machinery under rough field conditions: 10～15 or above

Fatigue Strength & Impact Toughness

Elevators and farm equipment bear frequent start-stop and material impact, requiring chains with good fatigue resistance and impact toughness.

3. Working Condition & Environmental Parameters

Operating Temperature

• Normal temperature: standard carbon steel heat-treated chain.

• High temperature oven / kiln: special high-temperature resistant chain with dedicated material and tempering process.

Dust & Corrosive Environment

For mining, farm field, humid and dusty conditions: galvanized, nickel-plated or stainless steel chain for rust and corrosion resistance.

Running Speed

• High-speed conveying: small pitch precision roller chain to reduce polygon effect, vibration and noise.

• Low-speed heavy-load elevator & farm machinery: large pitch heavy-duty chain focusing on load capacity and durability.

4. Installation & Matching Parameters

Sprocket Teeth Number & Gear Ratio

Sprocket teeth affect running smoothness and service life. Too few teeth cause large impact and fast wear; match teeth number and gear ratio according to rotating speed.

Center Distance & Chain Links

Calculate center distance for long-distance conveyors and arrange reasonable chain links to avoid odd links and insufficient tension stroke.

Attachment Dimension

For elevator buckets and conveyor scrapers: confirm cranked link height, hole spacing and hollow pin diameter to ensure smooth attachment installation.

5. Material & Heat Treatment

Material Grade

Carbon steel, manganese steel, alloy steel, stainless steel. Heavy-duty agricultural machinery and elevators prefer alloy steel for better wear resistance and tensile strength.

Heat Treatment Process

Pin, bush and roller adopt overall quenching + carburizing surface quenching, ensuring surface wear resistance and core toughness against fracture and wear enlargement.

6. Maintenance Parameters

Allowable Elongation Rate

The standard allowable wear elongation is 2%～3%. Replace the chain once exceeded to prevent jumping teeth and chain dropping.

Lubrication Condition

• Regular lubrication available: standard lubrication type chain.

• Field agricultural machinery without regular maintenance: self-lubricating & maintenance-free wear-resistant chain.