Plastic Timing Pulleys

[aldaeron]

Has anyone used plastic timing pulleys (https://sdp-si.com/eStore/Catalog/Group/218)?

What was your experience? Are they durable if appropriately tensioned? Is the weight savings significant for a full bot (SDP-SI doesn't have the weights listed)

Thanks!

-matto-

[ebarker]

we use them all the time. they are great, light, inexpensive.

you will not transmit the same load or horsepower through them that you can with the full metal ones, but for many application they are great.

[yash101]

These plastic pulleys should be good for most things. Just, don't use them where great forces will be imposed upon the plastic. They seem strong enough because most plastics are quite good with their compression forces!

[Gdeaver]

We use HTD series belts and plastic pulleys from www.econobelt.com We also use Aluminum pulleys for low tooth count (actually lighter than plastic) or when we need to do a large bore. Shipping has always been acceptable for FRC build schedule. Price is not to bad. We have yet to have any failures of these on our swerve drive. In 2011 we stripped the belts with our arm. That was our fault, not the belt.

[aldaeron]

Originally Posted by ebarker

we use them all the time. they are great, light, inexpensive.

you will not transmit the same load or horsepower through them that you can with the full metal ones, but for many application they are great.

What about for a drivetrain? With 3 geared down CIMs on one side (for a pushing match)

[protoserge]

I believe we used these exact pulleys on our 2012 bot drivetrain. They are plenty strong. We used the KoP plastic pulleys last year, as they were cheaper and lighter. They also worked just fine.

On a slightly related note, my car has plastic timing belt pulleys.

BTW, the link you posted got altered with the parenthesis and quotation mark in the sentence. Here is the link for anyone else: https://sdp-si.com/eStore/Catalog/Group/218.