Posted by James Owens on 27/10/2013 13:13:50:
I have started to convert my Bridgeport clone to CNC starting with the X axis. have ballscrews for X,Y and quill Z. My question is what is the groove size for an 8 mm HTD pulley. I know it is somewhere around 5 mm.
I could use the 5 mm HTD pulleys in which case the groove diameter would be 1/8". Would 5 mm belts stand up to the stess of moving such a large table? I intend also driving the knee through a worm/wheel gearbox of about 15:1 reduction with an air-ram to take some of the weight.
I have treadmill motors bought a long time ago from the USA and also encoders to fit to them.
Presumably you are talking about 8mm pitch rather than 8mm wide belts?
5mm pitch will stand up to the stress as long as the belt is wide enough. You would need to consult the manufacturers data unless you play safe and just use one that is twice as wide as the smallest pulley diameter, plus 34%.
I have looked in a belt catalogue and I still cannot fathom out what the 5mm groove diameter you are referring to.
I don't know anything about treadmill motors but if they are designed to be used with encoders than maybe you can just direct drive and avoid belts altogether.
Ian P