EXPERIMENT NO: 11

To determine the coefficient of friction of flat belt.

1. Objectives:
i. To determine the coefficient of friction of flat belt.

2. Apparatus:
i. Belt and pulley apparatus
ii. Spring balance
iii. Weights
iv. Flat belt
v. Hanger

3. Introduction:
3.1 Belt:
A belt is a loop of flexible material used to link two or more rotating shafts mechanically, most
often parallel. Belts may be used as a source of motion, to transmit power efficiently or to track
relative movement. Belts are looped over pulleys and may have a twist between the pulleys, and
the shafts need not be parallel. In a two-pulley system, the belt can either drive the pulleys
normally in one direction (the same if on parallel shafts), or the belt may be crossed, so that the
direction of the driven shaft is reversed (the opposite direction to the driver if on parallel shafts).
As a source of motion, a conveyor belt is one application where the belt is adapted to carry a load
continuously between two points. [1]

3.1.1. Types of belt:

There are different types of belts:
i. Flat belt
ii. Round belt
iii. V belt
iv. Multi groove belt
v. Ribbed belt

3.1.1.1. Round belt:

Round belts are a circular cross section belt designed to run in a pulley with a 60-degree V-
groove. Round grooves are only suitable for idler pulleys that guide the belt, or when (soft) O-
ring type belts are used
3.1.1.2. V-Belt:
It is now the basic belt for power transmission. They provide the best combination of traction,
speed of movement, load of the bearings, and long service life. They are generally endless, and
their general cross-section shape is roughly trapezoidal (hence the name "V"). The "V" shape of
the belt tracks in a mating groove in the pulley (or sheave), with the result that the belt cannot
slip off.
3.1.1.3. Flat Belt:
Flat belts are designed for light-duty power transmission and high-performance conveying.
They are best-suited for applications with smaller pulleys and large central distances. Flat belts
can connect inside and outside pulleys and can come in both endless and jointed construction.
They have a high-power transmission efficiency, are cost effective, and are easy to use and install.
The small bending cross-section of the flat belt causes little bending loss. The frictional
engagement on the pulley outer surface requires only a small cross-section and makes flat belts
very flexible, resulting in negligible energy loss. A flat belt does not require grooves, minimizing
the energy loss and wear from the belt wedging in and pulling out from the grooves. [2]

3.1.1.3.1. Applications of flat belt:

i. Drives to beaters on conventional blow rooms.
ii. Drive to rotor on rotor-spinning machine.
iii. Main drive on draw-texturing machine.
iv. Drive to creel-rollers of a high-speed drawing machine.

3.2. Materials of belt:

Belt material types include polyester, aramide, and polyamide.

3.2.1. Polyester:
It is the most common material due to it price-to-value ratio. It supplies a versatile belt that
can be used in a wide range of operating temperatures with low energy consumption, high
flexibility, and reliable performance.

3.2.2. Aramide:
It is a strong choice for long belts due to the short take-up and high accuracy for number of
revolutions (RPM) and belt speed. It is highly flexible, simple to join, has a high E-modulus, and
low energy consumption.

3.2.3. Polyamide:
It is reliable and has a long service life. It can work in a variety of conditions and functions well
in extreme environments with intermittent overload and high temperatures. Polyamide is shock
resistant and grooves enable high grip.
3.3. Belt and pulley apparatus:
The apparatus consists of a wall mounted fixed pulley with a loaded belt. Four different pulleys
are supplied with different vee groove angles; flat rim, 120°, 90°, and 60°.

A load is added to one of two hangers until the rope just begins to slide. This is the datum
condition. Loads are now added to both sides of the rope to cause very slow sliding of the rope.
This enables the coefficient of friction to be obtained.
3.4. Types of Belt Drives:
In a two-pulley system, depending upon the direction the belt drives the pulley, the belt
drives are divided into two types: [3]

3.4.1. Open belt drives:

An open belt drive is used to rotate the driven pulley in the same direction of driving pulley. In
the motion of belt drive, power transmission results make one side of pulley more tightened
compared to the other side

Figure 1: open belt drive [4]

3.4.2. Crossed belt drives:

A crossed belt drive is used to rotate driven pulley in the opposite direction of driving pulley.
Higher the value of wrap enables more power can be transmitted than an open belt drive.
However, bending and wear of the belt are important concerns.

Figure 2: crossed belt drive [5]

 3.5. Slip of the belt:
Slip in the belt drive is a phenomenon of the relative motion between belt and pulley. Due to
insufficient grip of friction between pulley and belt, there are some relative motion in between
those two is present, this motion is called slip of the belt. Ideally it should be a zero.

3.6. Creep of the belt:

The motion of belt relative to driving and driven pulley due to unequal stretching of the two
sides of the drive is known as creep.

4. procedure:
i. Take a flat belt and adjust the belt and pulley apparatus.
ii. Adjust the belt at 300 to the apparatus with one end attached to the spring balance
showing tension T2 and the other one with the hanger showing the tension T 1.
iii. Apply load (T1) to the belt in hanger and measure the tension T2 from the spring balance.
iv. Similarly, at different angles like 600, 900, 1200, apply loads (T1) and measure the
corresponding values of T2 from spring balance.
v. Measure the co-efficient of friction using relation,

T1
ln( )
 T2

Where  is in radian,

5.Observations and calculations:

Coefficient of friction
𝑻𝟏
Angle of wrap Tension(lbs.) Logarithm of 𝐥𝐧(
𝑻𝟐
)
µ=
(Ɵ) tensions ln (T1/T2) Ɵ
Sr.No. Degrees Radians T1 = T1 = T1 = T1 = T1 = T1 = T1 = T1 = T1 =
1.25, 2.25, 3.25, 1.25 2.25 3.25 1.25 2.25 3.25
T2 T2 T2
1 30 π/6 30 π/6 1.4 2.2 3.5 -0.113 0.022 -0.074 -0.216

2 60 π/3 60 π/3 1.6 2.2 3.0 -0.25 0.022 0.08 -0.24

3 90 π/2 90 π/2 1.1 1.9 2.65 0.127 0.17 0.20 0.081
4 120 3π/2 120 3π/2 1 1.85 2.8 0.22 0.19 0.149 0.047
6. Comments:
i. We get different values of tensions this may be due to the resistance between pulley
and the rubber, the quality of belt material and the error in the spring balance.
ii. With the change in angle value of T1 and T2 also changes.
iii. The value of tension T2 should never exceed tension T1, if it happens, then there would
be error in the apparatus.
iv. Co-efficient of friction could be negative if T2 is greater than T1.
v. With change in angle value of co-efficient of friction of belt remains same.

7. References:
[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_(mechanical)#cite_refneedham_volume_5_part_9_20720
8_1-0
[2]
https://www.globalspec.com/learnmore/motion_controls/power_transmission_mechanical/fla
t_belts
[3] https://me-mechanicalengineering.com/belt-drives/
[4]https://cdn.me-mechanicalengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/open-belt-
drive.jpg
[5] https://cdn.me-mechanicalengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/crossed-belt-
drive.jpg