Drop Forged Rivetless Chain - What Is It?

The universality of the drop forged rivetless chain makes it an integral part of most conveyor systems

. There are millions of feet of this chain in use invarious types of industrial plants globally because of their reliable 24/7 service. A rough estimate of 90% of all of the conveyor chain in use with overhead trolleys is of the drop forged rivetless type. For this particular use, it has replaced almost all of the other kinds of chain for the overhead trolley operations.

There are three main components of drop forged rivetless chain: center links, side links, and pins. The simplicity of the design and construction of the chain makes it easy to replace links or sections without loss of time; assembling or disassembling is a simple, speedy operation. In addition to the main components, a variety of trolleys, attachments and pusher dogs can be used to fit the specific needs of a plant's conveyor line.

Trolleys are wheels that mount to the conveyor chain, and allow it to ride on I-beam or in steel channel. Attachments can be outfitted to the chain to allow parts to connect to the conveyor line and be processed. Pusher dogs engage key areas of the system to cause specific actions to happen.

The parts of this chain are simply and quickly reversed without special tools or equipment to allow for assembly or disassembly of the chain to increase their life and lower the cost of replacement. Furthermore, the design and manufacture of the chain stops it from becoming disconnected while in operation. Installing the chain is also relatively simple. Normally, the chain will be shipped in ten-foot lengths, which are fed into the system. They are then connected to each other by the turn of a conveyor pin.

Drop forged rivetless chain can be used overhead, or on the floor. When used overhead, the chain hangs from an I-beam with the trolleys above, and the load below. Chain that is used on the floor is referred to as inverted, as the trolleys are below the chain, while the load rides above it. The chain is propelled by conveyor drives, which engage the chain and move it through the system. Because of its flexible design, rivetless chain will operate over irregular paths with both horizontal and vertical changes in direction.

All rivetless conveyor chains are not exactly alike. They can be made of differing qualities of metallurgy, forging, broaching, and controlled heat treatments, all providing the drop forged rivetless chain with unique attributes. They will also sport different finishes, like zinc, dichromate or black diamond giving them the ability to perform well in several different applications.

The chain comes in the sizes of X698, X578, X458 and X348. For heavy loads the large-sized chain is used, e.g. the X678 size of chain, which will ride in a 6-inch channel and may have a maximum tensile strength greater than 125,000 pounds. The light manufacturing processes can use the X348 chain, which moves along a 3-inch channel and usually has a maximum tensile strength below 40,000 pounds.

Because of its capability to satisfy a broad variety of requirements, drop forged rivetless chain is the go-to chain for many manufacturing companies. No less important is its ease of use and low cost of maintenance. These factors ensure the chain to remain a major technology in several areas of the manufacturing arena.

by: Paul Timmerman

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