Innovative sprocket technology helps reduce costly unplanned downtime

Tsubaki has built a reputation for pairing ingenuity with dependability. Its Smart Tooth Sprockets are no exception. These innovative units utilize patented Wear Indicator Technology, which gives users the ability to identify and schedule drive system maintenance before critical component failure occurs.

The need

In every sprocket, the tooth profile area reduces over time due to the induced load created by the chain roller. The reduction in sprocket tooth profile area creates accelerated wear on the drive chain roller, causing poor fit, alignment and chain wrap as it relates to the tooth profile. Once this happens, chain wear accelerates, resulting in loss of tension, jumped chain, drive slipping and catastrophic failure — costly problems that can result in unplanned downtime.

The solution

Tsubaki’s Smart Tooth can help prevent these issues by enabling users to easily identify sprocket wear and schedule drive system maintenance before critical component failure occurs. The patented Wear Indicator Pins are strategically placed on one or more sprocket teeth to provide visual indication that a sprocket is still within the allowable wear tolerance, or that it needs to be replaced.

Key advantages

Implementation of Tsubaki Wear Indicator technology is ideal for applications that are driven by capital equipment, or where unscheduled downtime is unacceptable. This innovative technology can help to extend chain life through predictable maintenance, eliminate the guesswork associated with worn sprockets, reduce overall cost of equipment ownership, provide warning of catastrophic drive failure, and enable users to schedule maintenance based on sprocket wear rate.

Additional details

Tsubaki’s Smart Tooth is available on many of its sprockets, including its ANSI 80 through 240 Sprockets, British Standard and Double-Pitch Sprockets, Engineering Class Sprockets, Carbon Steel Sprockets and more. It is ideal for use in many critical industries, from oil and gas to cement, mining and more.

For additional information, contact Tsubaki.

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