OK..
As a first option, I plan to use a round aluminium plate (wheel), and machine it such that the belt tightly fits around the perimeter, but inverted, with teeth pointing outwards.
This way I will have a gear (with rubber teeth). the other gear (actually timing pulley) that goes to encoder shaft should be taken from stepper motor as it has the same distance between teeth (pitch, module).
The second option is again aluminium plate 4-6mm thick, machined to a smaller diameter than timing belt, with belt attached in conventional way (teeth in contact with the wheel). This should be OK as such, however to prevent any possibility of (micro)slipping, I plan to glue only couple of teeth along the wheel perimeter, which will mate with every 20th or 100th valley on the timing belt. Timing belt will drive the encoder shaft in conventional way (pulley from the same source - mating stepper motor).
I tried this concept on much smaller wheel and it worked: there was no slippage or mis-synchronisation between belt and this type of pulley.
Unfortunately I do not have any pictures..
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobson
Sorry mate, I wasn't clear when I asked you a question 
I have timing belts from my Canon printer, they are approx 30 cm in diam. What I need is a pulley for that timing belt. What would be the best material for it, any hints would be helpful. |