Free Engineering Tool #092
Roller Chain Calculator
ISO 606 roller chain dimensions and load capacity. Select chain designation and check tensile load against breaking and working load ratings.
Results
Safety Factor
ISO 606 B-Series Chain Dimensions
| Chain | Pitch (mm) | Roller ⌀ (mm) | Inner Width (mm) | Min Breaking Load (kN) | Mass (kg/m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06B | 9.525 | 6.35 | 5.72 | 9.0 | 0.41 |
| 08B | 12.70 | 8.51 | 7.75 | 18.0 | 0.69 |
| 10B | 15.875 | 10.16 | 9.65 | 22.2 | 0.93 |
| 12B | 19.05 | 12.07 | 11.68 | 29.0 | 1.15 |
| 16B | 25.40 | 15.88 | 17.02 | 60.0 | 2.71 |
| 20B | 31.75 | 19.05 | 19.56 | 95.0 | 3.70 |
| 24B | 38.10 | 25.40 | 25.40 | 160.0 | 6.20 |
| 28B | 44.45 | 27.94 | 30.99 | 200.0 | 8.50 |
| 32B | 50.80 | 29.21 | 30.99 | 250.0 | 10.25 |
| 40B | 63.50 | 39.37 | 38.10 | 355.0 | 16.35 |
| 48B | 76.20 | 48.26 | 45.72 | 530.0 | 25.00 |
ISO 606 is the international standard for short-pitch precision roller chains. It defines dimensions, minimum breaking loads, and testing requirements for B-series (European) and A-series (American) chains.
Typical: 7–10 for normal operation, 10–12 for shock loads. Safety factor = Breaking load / Working load.
12 = pitch in 1/16 inches (19.05mm), B = European series, 1 = single strand. -2 = duplex, -3 = triplex.
B-series (European) and A-series (American) have different roller diameter and width for the same pitch. Always specify B or A when ordering.
Effective tension F = P/(v×η), where P is power in watts, v is chain speed in m/s, η is efficiency (~0.97–0.98).
The procedures described on this page were developed and field-tested by the Vibromera team using the Balanset-1A, a portable dual-channel balancer and vibration analyzer for on-site rotor balancing.
Professional field balancing instruments. Used in 50+ countries.
Nikolai Shelkovenko
Nikolai Shelkovenko is a vibration analysis engineer and the founder and CEO of Vibromera. For more than 15 years he has balanced rotating equipment in the field rather than on a test bench: mulchers, industrial fans, crushers, centrifuges, shafts and spindles. That work is what the Balanset instruments grew out of — they were designed as a tool a specialist can carry to the machine and use alone, on site, not as laboratory equipment. Vibromera was founded in 2017 and has been based in Porto, Portugal, since 2023. Development, assembly and support of the Balanset line all happen here. The flagship instrument is the Balanset-1A, a portable analyser for single- and two-plane balancing and for vibration diagnostics. Nikolai is personally involved in customer support, in working through difficult balancing cases and in the development of the software. He works with customers worldwide, in any language.
