Designing a conveyor system involves more than just bolting a motor to a frame. If you undersize the motor, it won't start under load due to breakaway torque . If you oversize it, you waste thousands on electricity and oversized VFDs. In this guide, we will walk through the engineering math required to size a conveyor motor and gearbox correctly, specifically focusing on the critical "Dynamic Tension" resulting from inertia. Table of Contents 1. The Physics: Effective Pull (Te) 2. Calculating Motor Power (Worked Example) 3. The Inertia Problem: VFD vs DOL 4. Gearbox Ratio Selection 5. Frequently Asked Questions Advertisement 1. The Physics: Effective Pull (Te) The first step in any sizing calculation is determining the Effective Pull ( T e ) . This is the sum of all forces resisting the motion of the belt. The Basic Formula: T e = F friction + F gravity + F material...
Figure 1: Buckling always occurs about the "Weak Axis," which is determined by the minimum Radius of Gyration. What is a Column? In the definition of mechanical engineering, a column does not have to be a vertical pillar like in architecture. A column is defined as any structural member that carries an axial compressive load and tends to fail by elastic instability ( buckling ) rather than by crushing the material. This includes connecting rods in engines, hydraulic piston rods, and even truss members in a bridge. Search for Strength of Materials Books Advertisement The Phenomenon of Buckling Buckling (or elastic instability) is a dangerous failure mode. It occurs when the shape of the column is not sufficient to hold itself straight under load. Unlike "crushing," where the material yields because the stress exceeds its limit, buckling is a geometric failure . At a specific "Critical ...