Create a roller chain

[mbus0013]

I am trying to create a roller chain as part of a cad drawing of a bicyle.

I created a link of the chain (pic attached) and I am following this video to repeat it as a rectangular pattern : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiBGYdbBPHo

However the links are not following the path they're supposed to - sorry I can't attach that file right now.

Anything that I should do different from the video?

Anything that you can think to point out would be helpful. I have been using inventor for a little while but I've never used the adaptive stetches or the functions thing ot a rectangular pattern that is not in the shape of a rectangle.

[JDMather]

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@mbus0013 wrote:

 - sorry I can't attach that file right now. 

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I think it would be virtually impossible to see where yours is going wrong without your assembly.

For information on curve driven patterns you might see this document

http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/skillsusa%20university.pdf

...then attach your assembly when you can.

[mbus0013]

this is what is looks like so far

Is there any way to make the 2 parts of the chain rotate about the pin? It's acting like it's fixed while it's not.

[JDMather]

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@mbus0013 wrote:

this is what is looks like so far

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I am not familiar with editing image files in Inventor (but it doesn't look correct).

Attach your Inventor assembly here.

[mbus0013]

i tried attaching but i can't attach it as a zipped file and there are too many files used in the assembly to upload one by one

[mbus0013]

i had already found that - however when i open it I don't see any chain - how do i edit it?

printscreen attached

[JDMather]

There should only be 3 files.

the path

one link

the assembly file.

If you can't attach here then send me the assembly - jmather_at_pct_dot_edu

[mbus0013]

why is a helpful reply gone?

I am trying to use the chain found here: http://www.cbliss.com/inventor/Parts.htm

What other values shoul I edit in the excel sheet, anyone knows?

[Doug_DuPont · Accepted solution]

You need to drag the end of part marked all the way down. Then the chain will be there.

[mbus0013]

Yes it worked!

Thank you.

[msklein]

SORRY, I reread your post and thought you were wanting to have a moveable chain not just a static one. So i killed the message so as not to cause confusion. And yes all configuration settings are done in spread sheet.

MSK

[IgorMir]

I might be wrong but it appears to me that in the video of chain animation the sprockets do not mesh with the chain properly when animated. I, for one, wouldn't expect them to mesh correctly anyway. The reason for that is the chain pass itself. One should realize that the chain is not a belt. Hence the accurate length of pass can not have simple arcs at the start and at the end. Instead the curve should be represented by a series of short lines equal in length to the individual chain link. Same is correct for the straight runs as well.

To cut the long story short - here is a sample of the roller chain which addresses all of the above.

Best Regards,

Igor.

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@mbus0013 wrote:

this is what is looks like so far

Is there any way to make the 2 parts of the chain rotate about the pin? It's acting like it's fixed while it's not.

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