Use of Artificial Intelligence Methods in Selection of Variable Tension Pulley Diameter in Belt Pulley Mechanisms


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Beller S.

Materials, Methods & Technologies, cilt.19, ss.142-160, 2026 (Hakemli Dergi)

Özet

Belt pulley systems transfer power and motion from shaft to shaft via a flexible, bendable belt wrapped

around pulleys. The flexibility and bendability of the belt prevent the negative effects, such as vibration

and impact, that may occur on one shaft from being transferred to the other shaft. Power transmission

occurs through the friction (force) bond between the belt and the pulley. There may be slippage between

the belt and the pulley during moment increases. While this provides an advantage in that sudden load

increases are not transmitted to the motor shaft, it provides a disadvantage in that it does not provide a

constant rotation ratio. Another disadvantage of these mechanisms is the occurrence of permanent belt

elongation over time, and tensioning systems are needed to eliminate the looseness. In addition to these

disadvantages, the shaft bearings are strained due to the forces exerted by the arms pressing the belt

against the pulley, and the power transmission is limited by the belt's strength. In this study, a group of

pulleys consisting of different diameters was used as a tension pulley as an alternative to weighted or

spring tension pulleys. Different weights that have different distances from the main pulley (Driven

pulley) hub were tested with different rotation speeds and tension pulleys with different diameters in the

experimental set. In addition, the number of revolutions of the main pulley was also estimated using

artificial intelligence methods. Thus, by ensuring minimum slippage with the most suitable tension

pulley diameter, an attempt was made to prevent possible strain on the shaft bearing and belt.