Worn Sprocket Tooth
| Application | Sprockets fitted at the end of a conveyor |
| Failure mode | Severe hooking wear of the sprocket teeth has been compounded with a second phase of hooked wear. |
| Diagnosis | The original chain and sprockets have followed normal wear patterns with hooked wear of the sprocket teeth and pitch elongation of the chain. A new chain has then been fitted to the old wheels which have a worn tooth incompatible with the pitch of the new chain. The result is severe secondary wear of the sprocket teeth and probably very rapid chain pitch extension. |
| Solution | Always check the condition of the existing sprocket teeth before fitting a new chain to any system. In this case the sprockets must be renewed and the chain checked for damage. |