Why does chain pull not change with speed?

At constant speed, the force the drive must exert goes to friction and lift, not to velocity. Speed raises the power the drive needs, but the pull and the chain rating follow force.

Should the safety factor apply to pull or load?

Apply it to the calculated pull, which already includes friction and lift. Suppliers rate chain strength against tension, so pull times safety factor gives the rating to specify.

What pull factor should I enter?

Take it from the supplier's calculation or a similar installed conveyor, and include the steepest incline. Friction factors around 0.18 suit many chain paths, but a heavy incline raises the combined figure.

Is a 6x safety factor enough?

The chain guide's 6 to 10 times range is the starting point, with higher factors for shock, reversing or indexing duty. Check the supplier's own requirement before ordering.

Conveyors calculator

Conveyor Chain Pull Calculator

Estimate the pull the chain drive must exert from the moving load and a combined friction and incline factor, then size the chain rating from a safety factor.

What this calculator does

Chain pull from the moving load and pull factor, with the chain rating a chosen safety factor requires.

Formula used

Estimated chain pull = total moving chain load × friction and incline pull factor
Required chain rating = estimated chain pull × chain safety factor

Inputs explained

Total Moving Chain Load: Total weight the chain carries, product and carriers combined.
Friction and Incline Pull Factor: Combined friction and incline multiplier for the chain path.
Chain Safety Factor: Multiplier applied to pull for the chain rating.

How to use the result

Best suited to sizing chain for a heavy load, checking an incline conveyor rating, reviewing a supplier's chain quote.
A screening pull; variable loads and frequent starts need the drive maker's full method. A single factor for the route; tight curves and transfers add pull.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The U.S. has 21,668 machinery manufacturing establishments employing about 1,086,146 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

Why does chain pull not change with speed? At constant speed, the force the drive must exert goes to friction and lift, not to velocity. Speed raises the power the drive needs, but the pull and the chain rating follow force.
Should the safety factor apply to pull or load? Apply it to the calculated pull, which already includes friction and lift. Suppliers rate chain strength against tension, so pull times safety factor gives the rating to specify.
What pull factor should I enter? Take it from the supplier's calculation or a similar installed conveyor, and include the steepest incline. Friction factors around 0.18 suit many chain paths, but a heavy incline raises the combined figure.
Is a 6x safety factor enough? The chain guide's 6 to 10 times range is the starting point, with higher factors for shock, reversing or indexing duty. Check the supplier's own requirement before ordering.

Last reviewed 2026-10-01.