Tutorial : How to model a belt-pulley system and model it in SolidWorks and show design intent

Krutin Rajani

14 May, 2013 05:33 PM

the link to the model is : Belt pulley System

1. Step 1:

   Open a new part and sketch the following on the top plane and revolve it around the axis to form the pulley.
   

   

2. Step 2:

   On the front plane make few holes for the key to be inserted and for design.the outer holes are for design purpose and also for the viewer to see the circular motion of the pulley. Cut the holes.
   

   

3. Step 3:

   Make 2 or 3 pulleys or more of different or same radius as per your wish.
   

   

4. Step 4:

   Now in a new part make a pin for the pulley to hold the pulley in its position.for that make a circle and extrude it.
   

   

5. Step 5:

   In a new assembly insert all the pulleys and corresponding number of pins
   

   

6. Step 6:

   Mate the pins with the pulleys. For mating I will teach you an important and effective way. Holding the Alt button select the line and drag it. It will turn transparent with a symbol of mating clip under the mouse pointer.
   

   

7. Step 7:

   Now drag the pin to the desired edge of the pulley and keep holding it till the pin arranges it automatically.
   

   

8. Step 8:

   This will add two new mates to the assembly. You can also mate it regularly as well.
   

   

9. Step 9:

   Make the front planes of the pulleys coincident so that they become confined by their planes.
   

   

10. Step 10:

    Now arrange the pulleys and fix the pins. This will make individual pulleys rotate on its own axis
    

    

11. Step 11:

    Go to Insert -> Assembly Feature ->Belt/Chain.

12. Step 12:

    This will open belt/chain property manager. Select the inner faces of the pulley in the order you want to pass the belt.
    

    

13. Step 13:

    Under properties you can change the thickness of belt and keep it in engaged or disengaged condition. Don’t forget to check the “create belt part button”.
    

    

14. Step 14:

    You can reverse the direction of the belt through any pulley by clicking on the arrow.
    

    

15. Step 15:

    On clicking the green tick you will see thin line passing through the pulleys as belt. Revolving one of the pulley will move the other two.
    

    

16. Step 16:

    Now click on the edit part button of the belt assembly.
    

    

17. Step 17:

    That will open the part of the belt in which a 2d spline is drawn. Make a plane passing through any one of the point.
    

    

18. Step 18:

    On that plane sketch the cross-section of the belt.
    

    

19. Step 19:

    Sweep the belt profile on the pre-created path to form the belt.
    

    

20. Step 20:

    Now save the part and open the assembly. Your assembly with a belt is now ready.
    

    

21. Step 21:

    Attractive part of the feature is you can reposition the pulleys. For that make the pin float drag the pulley to the new position and fix the pin. This will automatically change the shape and length of the belt.
    

    

22. Step 22:

    You can also animate the part using motor feature in the motion study.