VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HO CHI MINH CITY

UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
APPLIED MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT
⋆

MACHINE ELEMENTS (ME2008)

Assignment

Flat Belt and V-belt

Lecturer: PHAN DINH HUAN Topic 1

Ho Chi Minh City, September 2024

 University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City
Applied Mathematics Department

No. Name Student ID Contribution Points

1 To Dang Duc Tai 2252725 100%

Assignment of Linear Algebra - Academic year 2024 - 2025 Page 1/14

 University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City
Applied Mathematics Department

Contents
1 Theory Summary 3
1.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 Flat Belt Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2.1 Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2.2 Disadvantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2.3 Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 V-Belt Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3.1 Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.3.2 Disadvantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.3.3 Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2 Numerical Examples 5
2.1 Example 1: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.1.1 Problem Statement 1: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.1.2 Solution: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.2 Example 2: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.2.1 Problem statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.2.2 Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.3 Example 3: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.3.1 Problem statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.3.2 Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.4 Example 4: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.4.1 Problem statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.4.2 Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.5 Example 5: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.5.1 Problem statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.5.2 Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3 Code Python solving 11

3.1 Exercise 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.2 Exercise 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.3 exercise 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.4 Exercise 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.5 Exercise 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Assignment of Linear Algebra - Academic year 2024 - 2025 Page 2/14

 Belt Transmission: Flat Belt & V-Belt

1 Theory Summary
1.1 Overview
Belt transmission is a common mechanical method used to transmit power between rotating
shafts. The basic principle involves a belt (typically made of rubber, fabric, or leather) running
over pulleys attached to the shafts. The friction between the belt and the pulleys allows for the
transfer of motion and torque. Two common types of belts used in this system are flat belts and
V-belts.

1.2 Flat Belt Transmission

A flat belt is a simple belt with a flat, rectangular cross-section, typically made from leather,
rubber, or fabric. It operates on pulleys with a flat surface.

1.2.1 Advantages
• Simplicity: Flat belts are easy to manufacture and maintain.

• Flexibility: Can be used over long distances.

• High speed: Flat belts are suitable for high-speed transmission because of minimal slippage.

• Cost-effective: They are cheaper compared to other belts and easy to replace.

1.2.2 Disadvantages
• Low friction: Flat belts have relatively low friction, leading to potential slippage under
heavy loads.

• Alignment sensitivity: Misalignment can easily cause the belt to slip off the pulley.

• Moderate efficiency: Efficiency decreases with large distances and higher loads due to
slippage.

1.2.3 Applications
• Light-duty machinery, conveyors, and agricultural equipment.

1.3 V-Belt Transmission

A V-belt has a trapezoidal cross-section and runs in grooves on specially designed pulleys. This
design increases the contact area between the belt and the pulley, improving friction and reducing

3
 University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City
Applied Mathematics Department

slippage.

1.3.1 Advantages
• High friction: The V shape increases the contact area, providing greater friction and re-
ducing slippage.

• Better power transmission: Suitable for higher loads and power transmission.

• Compact: They allow for more compact pulley arrangements because of their greater grip.

• Quiet operation: They generally operate more quietly compared to flat belts.

1.3.2 Disadvantages
• Limited to shorter distances: Not ideal for long-distance transmission.

• Higher cost: V-belts and their pulleys are more expensive than flat belt systems.

• Efficiency decreases at high speeds: Unlike flat belts, V-belts might lose efficiency at
very high speeds due to flexing.

1.3.3 Applications
• Automotive engines, industrial machinery, HVAC systems, and heavy-duty machines.

1.4 Summary
• Flat belts are best for long-distance and high-speed applications but have lower friction and
higher slippage risk.

• V-belts are suitable for higher loads and shorter distances, with better friction and power
transmission efficiency.

Assignment of Linear Algebra - Academic year 2024 - 2025 Page 4/14

 University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City
Applied Mathematics Department

2 Numerical Examples
2.1 Example 1:
2.1.1 Problem Statement 1:
A flat belt is used to transmit power between two pulleys. The driving pulley has a diameter
of 300 mm and rotates at 1500 rpm. The belt transmits 5 kW of power. The coefficient of friction
between the belt and the pulley is 0.3, and the angle of lap (arc of contact) is 180°. Calculate the
required belt tension, assuming the maximum tension in the belt is limited to 800 N. Centrifugal
forces are neglected for calculation

2.1.2 Solution:
Given:

• Power transmitted, P = 5 kW = 5000 W

• Diameter of driving pulley, D = 300 mm = 0.3 m

• Rotational speed, N = 1500 rpm

• Coefficient of friction, µ = f = 0.3

• Arc of contact, θ = 180◦ = π radians

• Maximum tension, F1 = 800 N

Solution:

1. Angular velocity of the pulley:

2πN 2π × 1500
ω= = = 157.08 rad/s
60 60

2. Belt speed:
πDN π × 0.3 × 1500
v= = = 23.56 m/s
60 60

3. Power transmitted by the belt:

P = (T1 − T2 )v
P 5000
T1 − T2 = = = 212.15 N
v 23.56

4. Relation between tensions:

F1
= eµθ = e0.3×π = 2.566
F2
F1 800
T2 = = = 311.66 N
2.566 2.566

Thus, the tension in the slack side of the belt is F2 = 311.66 N, and the effective tension is
F1 − F2 = 212.15 N.

Assignment of Linear Algebra - Academic year 2024 - 2025 Page 5/14

 University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City
Applied Mathematics Department

2.2 Example 2:
2.2.1 Problem statement

d1 a d2

A machine is driven by an open flat belt drive as shown in the figure. The driving pulley has a
diameter of 400 mm and rotates at 600 rpm, while the driven pulley has a diameter of 800 mm and
is connected to a machine requiring 10 kW of power. The coefficient of friction between the belt
and pulleys is 0.25. The maximum allowable tension in the belt is 1200 N, and the belt operates
with a safety factor of 1.5. The angle of contact for the smaller pulley is 160◦ . Flat belt have width
b = 100 mm; height h = 6mm; Young’s modulus of belt E = 100M P a(N/mm2 ). Initial tensile
stress α0 = 1.8M P a

1. Calculate the center distance a of the open belt drive.

2. Determine the following for the belt drive:

• Initial tensile force F0 ,

• Tangential force Ft ,

• Torque T ,

• Power P .

2.2.2 Solution
Given:

• Power transmitted, P = 10 kW = 10000 W

• Diameter of driving pulley, D1 = 400 mm = 0.4 m

• Diameter of driven pulley, D2 = 800 mm = 0.8 m

• Rotational speed, N1 = 600 rpm

• Coefficient of friction, µ = f = 0.25

• Arc of contact, θ = 160◦ = 2.79 radians

• Maximum tension, F1 = 1200 N

• Safety factor, SF = 1.5

• Height, h = 6 mm

Assignment of Linear Algebra - Academic year 2024 - 2025 Page 6/14

 University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City
Applied Mathematics Department

• Width, b = 100 mm

• Initial tensile stress, α0 = 1.8M P a

1. Center Distance a

The center distance a between the two pulleys is calculated using the approximation formula:
d2 − d1
α1 = 180 − 57
a
Thus, the center distance a is approximately:

57 ∗ (d2 − d1 )
a= = 1.14 m
180 − α1

2. Determining Forces and Power

(a) Initial Tension Force F0

The initial tensile force F0 is given by:

F0 = A.σ0

F0 = b ∗ h ∗ α0 = 1080N
(c) Torque τ The torque on the driven pulley is given by:

P
τ = 9.55 ∗ 106 ∗ = 159166N · M
n

(b) Tangential Force Ft

The tangential force Ft is the difference between the tensions on the tight and slack sides:

d1
τ = Ft ∗
2
⇒ Ft = 796N

Final Answers
• Center distance a ≈ 1.14 m,

• Initial tensile force F0 = 1080 N,

• Tangential force Ft = 796 N,

• Torque τ = 159166 N · m,

• Power P = 10 kW.

Assignment of Linear Algebra - Academic year 2024 - 2025 Page 7/14

 University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City
Applied Mathematics Department

2.3 Example 3:
2.3.1 Problem statement
The transmission system of a blender is given in Figure 1. An electrical motor with power of
10 kW and rotation speed of 1200 rpm is used to run the system. Velocity ratios of the flat-belt
drive and the helical-gear drive are 1.5 and 2.0, respectively. Assuming there is no power lost in
the transmission system:

Figure 1: Enter Caption

Calculate the torques N · m · m and rotation speed (rpm) of shafts I and II.

2.3.2 Solution
First, we need to find torque through power.
P
τ = 9.55 · 106 = 79583N.mm
n
Shaft I:
n2
1.5 = → n2 = 1.5 ∗ n1 = 1800rpm
n1
τ1 τ1
1.5 = → τ2 = = 53056N.mm
τ2 1.5
Shaft II:
n2
2= → n2 = 2 ∗ n1 = 3600rpm
n1
τ1 τ1
2= → τ2 = = 39792N.mm
τ2 2

2.4 Example 4:
2.4.1 Problem statement
Some parameters of the flat-belt drive shown in Figure from Example 3 are given as follows:

Assignment of Linear Algebra - Academic year 2024 - 2025 Page 8/14

 University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City
Applied Mathematics Department

• Diameter of the drive pulley D1 = 300 mm

• Wrap angle of the belt on the drive pulley α1 = 160◦

• Coefficient of friction between the belt and the pulley f = 0.30

• Power 8 kW

Determine:

a) Required initial tension to prevent belt slip. Note that the tension caused by centrifugal
force is ignored. F0

b) Force applied on shafts. Note that the belt drive has no belt tension.

2.4.2 Solution
a) F0 ?
First, find torque:
P
τ = 9.55 · 106 ·
n
⇒ 63667N.mm
Secondly, find tensile force:
d1
τ = Ft ∗
2
⇒ Ft = 424.44N
Finally, find tension force:
′
Ft (ef α + 1)
F0 = + Fv = 212.22N
2(ef ′ α − 1)
b) Force shaft?
α1
Fb = 3F0 sin = −632.78N
2

2.5 Example 5:
2.5.1 Problem statement
A flat-belt drive is used to transmit power from a motor to a mixer in an industrial setup. The
motor has a power output of 10 kW and operates at 1200 RPM. The mixer requires a rotational
speed of 400 RPM. The following details are provided:

• Diameter of the drive pulley on the motor, D1 = 200 mm.

• Diameter of the driven pulley on the mixer, D2 = 600 mm.

• Coefficient of friction between the belt and the pulley, f = 0.28.

• Wrap angle on the drive pulley, α = 170◦ .

• Initial belt tension is F0 = 600 N.

Tasks

Assignment of Linear Algebra - Academic year 2024 - 2025 Page 9/14

 University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City
Applied Mathematics Department

a) Find the tensile force in the belt.

b) Determine the tensions in the tight side (T1 ) and slack side (T2 ) of the belt using Euler’s
equation.

c) Calculate the torque transmitted by the drive pulley.

2.5.2 Solution
2.5.2.1 a) Tensile Force: The tensile force Ftensile is related to the initial tension in the belt:
′
ef α − 1
Ft = 2(F0 − Fv ) = 1200N
ef ′ α + 1
Where F0 is the initial tension in the belt.

2.5.2.2 b) Tension in the Belt: To find the tension on the tight side T1 and the slack side
T2 , use Euler’s equation:
T1
= ef α =
T2
Where:

• f = 0.28 is the coefficient of friction,

• α = 170◦ = 170×π
180 radians is the wrap angle (converted to radians).

2.5.2.3 c) Torque Transmitted: The torque transmitted by the drive pulley can be calculated
as:
d1
τ = Ft ∗
2
Where D1 = 200 mm is the diameter of the drive pulley.

Assignment of Linear Algebra - Academic year 2024 - 2025 Page 10/14

 University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City
Applied Mathematics Department

3 Code Python solving

3.1 Exercise 1

1 import math
2

3 Given data
4 P = 5000 # Power in watts
5 D = 0.3 # Diameter of driving pulley in meters
6 N = 1500 # Rotational speed in rpm
7 mu = 0.3 # Coefficient of friction
8 theta = math.pi # Arc of contact in radians (180 degrees = \pi radians)
9 F1 = 800 # Maximum tension in the belt in newtons
10

11 # Angular velocity of the pulley

12 omega = (2 * math.pi * N) / 60 # in rad/s
13 print(f"Angular velocity (omega): {omega:.2f} rad/s")
14

15 # Belt speed
16 v = (math.pi * D * N) / 60 # in m/s
17 print(f"Belt speed (v): {v:.2f} m/s")
18

19 # Power transmitted by the belt (T1 - T2)

20 T_diff = P / v
21 print(f"Effective tension (T1 - T2): {T_diff:.2f} N")
22

23 # Relation between tensions (T1 / T2 = e^(mu * theta))

24 tension_ratio = math.exp(mu * theta)
25 print(f"Tension ratio (T1 / T2): {tension_ratio:.3f}")
26

27 # Calculate T2
28 T2 = F1 / tension_ratio
29 print(f"Tension on slack side (T2): {T2:.2f} N")
30

31 # Tension in the tight side (T1 - T2 = T_diff)

32 T1 = T_diff + T2
33 print(f"Tension on tight side (T1): {T1:.2f} N")
34

35 print(f"Maximum tension (F1): {F1} N")

3.2 Exercise 2

1 import math
2

3 # Given data
4 P = 10 # power
5 D1 = 400 # driving
6 D2 = 800 # driven
7 N1 = 600 # rotational speed

Assignment of Linear Algebra - Academic year 2024 - 2025 Page 11/14

 University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City
Applied Mathematics Department

8 f = 0.25 # Coefficient of friction

9 theta = 160 # Arc of contact
10 F1 = 1200 # Maximum tension
11 SF = 1.5 # Safety factor
12 h = 6 # height (mm)
13 b = 100 # width (mm)
14 alpha0 = 1.8 # Intial tensile stress (MPa)
15

16 # Center distance a
17 a = (57*(D2 - D1))/(180 - theta)
18 print(f"Center distance a : {a:.2f} m")
19 # Initial tension force F_0
20 F0 = b * h * alpha0
21 print(f"Initial tension force F_0 : {F0:.2f} N")
22 # Torque
23 t = 9.55*10**6 * P / N1
24 print(f"Torque : {t:.2f} N.mm")
25 # Tangential force F_t
26 F_t = (t * 2)/D1
27 print(f"Tangential force : {F_t:.2f} N")

3.3 exercise 3

1 import math
2

3 # Given data
4 P = 10 # power
5 N1 = 1200 # Rotation speed
6 v1 = 1.5 # flat - belt
7 v2 = 2.0 # helical - gear
8

9 # Torque
10 print("Finding torque:")
11 T = 9.55*10**6 * P / N1
12 print(f"Torque: {T:.2f} N.mm")
13 # Shaft 1
14 print("Shaft 1:")
15 N2 = 1.5 * N1
16 print(f"Rotational speed shaft 1: {N2:.2f} rpm")
17 T2 = T/1.5
18 print(f"Torque shaft 1: {T2:.2f} N.mm")
19 # Shaft 2
20 print("Shaft 2:")
21 N3 = N1 * 2
22 print(f"Rotation speed shaft 2: {N3:.2f} rpm")
23 T3 = T / 2
24 print(f"Torque shaft 2: {T3:.2f} rpm")
25

Assignment of Linear Algebra - Academic year 2024 - 2025 Page 12/14

 University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City
Applied Mathematics Department

26

3.4 Exercise 4

1 import math
2

3 # Given data
4 D1 = 300 # Diameter of the drive pulley
5 alpha1 = 160 # wrap angle on the drive pulley
6 f = 0.3 # Coefficient of the friction
7 P = 8 # Power
8 N1 = 1200 # Rotation speed
9 e = math.e # Euler
10 upper1 = math.exp(f*alpha1)
11

12 # Initial tension
13 print("Find torque")
14 T1 = 9.55*10**6 * P / N1
15 print(f"Torque: {T1:.2f} N.mm")
16 Ft = 2* T1/D1
17 print(f"Tensile force: {Ft:.2f} N")
18 F0 = (Ft * (e*upper1 +1))/(2*(e*upper1 -1))+0
19 print(f"Tension force: {F0:.2f} N")
20 Fb = 3*F0*math.sin(alpha1/2)
21 print(f"Force shaft: {Fb:.2f} N")
22

3.5 Exercise 5

Assignment of Linear Algebra - Academic year 2024 - 2025 Page 13/14

 University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City
Applied Mathematics Department

References
[1] Wikipedia. (2024). Hermite interpolation. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Hermite_interpolation.

[2] Arangala, C. (2023). Linear Algebra With Machine Learning and Data. CRC Press.

Assignment of Linear Algebra - Academic year 2024 - 2025 Page 14/14