Good Evening all! I'm currently a second year Mechanical Engineering student and I've been tasked with a research assignment based around Design & Technology with respect to manufacturing processes and I am hoping somebody with experience/knowledge in the matter can help. I have chosen a motorbike drivetrain chain (roller chain) due to it being a component with multiple parts and my lecturer has approved this. I have a good understanding the the applied theory of them in service (tension, torque loads etc) however I'm hitting somewhat of a dead end with respect to the actual material the chain is constructed from. I've reached out to multiple manufacturers but understandably have been given the generic response of "we can't tell you due to confidentiality and conflict of interest".........fantastic. The only different response I've received so far was from a supplier who although stated they couldn't give clear details on the material specification, they did say that the links are double alloyed steel and the roller pins are triple alloyed steel. Given that this only narrows the search down slightly, I'm trying to deduce what the alloys in the various steel components are (not looking for bang on percentages). I'm leaning towards possibilities of vanadium due to the steel requiring strong resistance to wear and corrosion resistance but I'm also thinking chromium and/or nickel. Any advice on the matter would be greatly appreciated!
You've really confused lots now. Many call aluminium "alloy". So saying steal alloy they must now think chains are made from aluminium.
Many moons ago in the late seventies I went to work at the local steelworks and on day release went to college once a week. I did a basic course in steel making and IIRC one phrase we had to learn by rote was “steel is an alloy of iron, iron and carbon, plus trace elements not exceeding 1%” Those trace elements included chromium, tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium etc. These made up the steel in varying percentages depending on what the steel was to used for. Good luck with the research Mr Knight, have you tried to contact actual steel manufacturers (what few are left) they may be able to help given that you aren’t actually wanting to “steal” (geddit!) their ideas and go into production yourself.
Google helps a little bit http://tsubaki.ca/pdf/library/the_Complete_guide_to_chain.pdf If you have a materials lab where you are and some spare parts, you could get the lab to do some analysis for you. These are typically not all that precise, but can give the ballpark so you can figure out what spec steel you are dealing with. Many parts are case hardened, so the surface carbon content will be higher than the underlying material.
I don’t think he wants to steal the alloy. Perhaps you meant steel. Nobody calls aluminium alloy, some call it ally though.
Chain links require a high tensile strength so whatever elements gives that quality are used. Some chains are shot peened, also. Unlike the link plates, the rollers, bushings and pins need to be wear resistant because they wear against each other or the sprockets so they might use a harder alloy. Good front sprockets are usually hardened chromoly steel.
Because they are made of an alloy of various metals. I really hope you were asking a rhetorical question and knew that. If not there really is no hope.
Diamond cut wheels is referring to the treatment of the outer surface of the hub, spokes and rim. As if they had been “faced” in a lathe. See below. They can be a PITA if you don’t take care when parking.
Does this really matter? The thread has been high jacked anyway from drive chains to car wheels. But not as bad as a thread on another forum I visit that went from “how do you deal with punctures on spoked wheels when off road” to “how to shoot grizzlies with a hand gun”
It doesn’t really matter how old this thread is. There are still people that don’t know the difference between alloy and ally. Or between steal and steel. I quite like reading old threads when I don’t know things discussed in them. We all like to learn.
Yes ofcourse its a piss take. Was aircraft engineer for 45 years. When doing my apprenticeship if i called aluminium 'alloy' id have got a clip around the ear. Stainles steel is an alloy son, dont you say that again. Ally is ok though' and. Son its turned on a lathe, no diamonds was anywhere near it. Only for dressing grinding wheels. (And some other functions).
