Engineering Plastic

Sheaves & Sheave Design

Cast Nylon Sheaves for the

Heavy Equipment Industry

Timco’s cast nylon sheaves are increasingly found

on a wide variety of lifting equipment. They often
replace sheaves made of cast iron or steel. Today,
Timco’s sheaves can be found on nearly any type of
crane including gantry, tower, rough terrain, crawler,
truck, and pedestal cranes. They are also used in
equipment for the wire drawing and cable stranding
industries, on forklifts, telehandlers, manlifts, mobile
drill rigs and in many other mechanical systems. Timco
is the largest supplier of machined non-metallic sheaves in
North America. We are proud to offer our customers sheaves
of all sizes and designs.

Sheaves are grooved wheels or pulleys used with rope or

chain to change the direction and point of application
of pulling force. Timco’s fabricated sheaves have
considerable advantages over cast iron or steel
sheaves. Benefits of using our sheaves are found
on the following pages. This brochure also details
design guidelines for cast nylon sheaves to
improve your equipment’s safety and efficiency.
Selecting sheaves requires a knowledge of
product specifications: type of belt or rope
to be used, bearing size and type, and any
dimensional restrictions. A worksheet
to gather information to design a
sheave is found on page 9. An
experienced Timco sales
engineer would be happy
to assist you in your
sheave design.
Benefits of Using Timco
Engineering Plastic Sheaves
Extend Wire Rope Life
Wire rope (wire cable) is an important and highly stressed component
in material handling equipment. The useful lifetime of wire rope is
mostly determined by fatigue, Hertzian pressure between wire rope
and sheave, and external conditions such as line pull, sheave diameter,
groove profile and sheave material.

In contrast to most other machine components, wire rope must be

replaced before it fails. In order to extend wire rope life, sheaves or
sheave grooves made of Timco’s cast nylon are used. Timco sheaves
are very wear resistant and do not stress the outer strands of the
rope nearly as much as steel sheaves. Standard wire rope rests in
the groove of a steel sheave on point contacts only, resulting in high
specific loads between the outer wires of the rope and the groove.
Premature wire rope failure due to the breaking of individual wires in
the outer strands can occur. This does not happen with sheaves made
of Timco cast nylon.

The elasticity of Timco’s sheaves results in a larger contact area

between wire rope and sheave groove. The specific loading is greatly
reduced, and the wire rope is under less stress. Timco sheaves
provide a cushion in the groove contact area. The load bearing
contact area on a Timco nylon sheave is 10 times larger than on a
steel sheave.

Wear resistance, reduced specific loading and elasticity make our

sheaves extend the life of the wire rope by up to 300%!

Are Lighter Weight

The low weight of Timco sheaves can also increase their operational
efficiency. The weight of our cast nylon sheaves is one-seventh the
weight of steel sheaves. In heavy cranes with multiple reeving, the
weight savings adds up quickly. The total axle load on a large mobile
crane (which may use as many as 18 sheaves) can be reduced by
almost 2,200 Ibs by using Timco sheaves. The effect of the weight
savings on the boom tip is magnified at low boom angles.

Timco cast nylon sheaves improve equipment efficiency, reduce load

and stress, and are easier to handle.

7 8
 Improve System Safety Provide Longer System Life
Wire rope performance is often the key factor in the In addition to its many other benefits, cast nylon also
efficient and safe operation of large systems. Because dampens vibrations. This is beneficial for the rope,
the wire rope is less stressed when using Timco cast bearings, shaft, housing, and other components of the
nylon sheaves, the entire lift system runs more safely. system. The useful lifetime of all components in the
reeving is extended. This means lower maintenance
Handling or installing Timco sheaves is significantly
costs, less downtime, longer useful product life, and
easier and safer than working with metal sheaves.
more profitability.

Offer Corrosion and Weather Resistance

Timco sheaves do not rust, and resist chemical and salt
water corrosion. They are ideal for outdoor and marine
Why Buy Your
applications as well as in other harsh environments. Sheaves From Timco?
• 40 Years of Fabrication Experience
Last Longer Than Sheaves • ISO 9001:2000
Made of Other Materials • Offering Design, Fabrication and
Assembly Services
A unique combination of mechanical and impact
• Rapid Prototyping
properties, combined with its excellent wear resistance,
• Broad Range of Plastic Materials
allow Timco cast nylon sheaves to outlast their metallic
counterparts. • Engineering Solutions – Our Engineers
Help You Design Your Part
Groove wear is caused either by mechanical overload
(generally produced by point stress) or by slippage
of the cable. The increased rope support provided
by Timco’s plastic sheaves reduces both mechanical
overload and cable slippage, as well as stress caused
by vibration.

Improved performance and long-lasting toughness

make Timco cast nylon sheaves a cost effective choice.

6 3
 Sheave Design

Design of Bearing Seat and Sheave Groove

Due to the low coefficient of friction of cast nylon, sheaves can
Types of Bearing Seats be installed without anti-friction bearings in applications with light
loads (Type 4 and Type 5). Please refer to the section “Sheaves
without bearings” later in this brochure. If the load in the bearing
seat exceeds the maximum permissible load for running directly
1 2 3 4 5

on the shaft, anti-friction bearings should be installed. Several

installation methods are available (Types 1, 2 and 3).

The groove diameter of a cast nylon sheave should exceed the

1 2 3 4 5
wire rope diameter by about 5%. This allows for the tolerance in
the rope diameter and assures good support for the wire rope. The
groove depth should be at least 1.5 times the rope diameter to
prevent “jumping”. A groove angle (throat angle) of between 30°
and 45° assures the best support for the wire rope. When using
Width (B) stranded cables, the root diameter should not be a whole number
Throat Angle (w) multiple of the length of lay of the cable.

Rope Rope Diameter Groove Radius m

Diameter (d)
Groove Depth (h)

(inches) (inches) (inches)

1/8 0.066 0.079
(m) 1/4 0.131 0.118
3/8 0.197 0.177
1/2 0.263 0.197
Groove Radius (r) 5/8 0.328 0.236
3/4 0.394 0.276
7/8 0.459 0.276
h = Groove depth (1.5 • d) minimum
w = Throat angle
1 0.525 0.315
d = Wire rope diameter 1-1/4 0.656 0.394
r = Groove radius (see Figure 1 or (d+5%) / 2) 1-1/2 0.788 0.433
m = Minimum flange width 1-3/4 0.919 0.492
B = Minimum width of sheave = d • 2.5
2 1.050 0.492
Maximum permissible fleet angle is 4°
Figure 1: Recommended Groove Dimensions

Determining Line Pull

Certain calculations involving line pull (Fs) and the wrap angle (α)
The following formula determines the actual must be completed when designing a sheave. For circumferential
load based on line pull and wrap angle:
loads, the wrap angle α influences the load on the groove and on
α
Fres = 2 • Fs • sin { 2 } the center bore or bearing. Wrap angle is defined as the angle
formed between the entry and exit points of the wire rope on the
sheave, as seen from the center of the sheave.

4 5
 Groove Pressure
Two criteria must be observed, but as a general rule, if the D:d ratio (sheave tread diameter : wire rope diameter) is 18:1
or greater, the calculations for groove pressure can be ignored. The calculated value of the maximum continuous service
load (p’) resulting from the use of the formulas given below, must be equal to or less than the values given in Figure 3
and Figure 4.

1. Sheave under circumferential load, or sheave under point load. 2. Stranded wire rope, or armored cable
Circumferential Load Point Load Open Stranded Cable

(d)
(d1) Strand

Line pull Fs Load F (Wheel Pressure)

Open Cable, circumferential load Open Cable, point load

3 3
X X
p’ = p’e•
Z
with p’e = 650 • [(2 • r) - d1 ] • Fres
2 • r • d1 • D
in psi
p’ = p’e •
Z
with p’e = 505 •
[1 - 2d r + dD ]
•
1 1
•
F
(d1)2
in psi

d1 = Strand diameter in inches Specific Pressure (Pe) Correction Factor

D = Root diameter of sheave in inches (in psi) (X)
X = Correction factor taken from Figure 2
≤ 7,250 Z
r = Groove radius in inches
F = Load (wheel pressure) in lbs
22,000 6
Fres = Total load in lbs (see previous page) 43,500 4
Z = Number of strands ≤ 62,250 2.5
2
psi N/mm
Figure 2
psi N/mm2

70°F

Maximum p’
120°F

Maximum p’
165°F

210°F

m/s m/s
ft/min 100 200 300 400 500 600 ft/min

Figure 3: Maximum Continuous Loading Figure 4: Maximum Continuous Loading

p’ for Circumferential Loads p’ for Point Loads

4 5
 Armored cable, point contact

p’ = Expected area pressure between cable and groove

a = (2/d) - (1/r)
b = 2/D
3
d = Cable OD in inches p’ = 765 • (a + b)2 • F in psi
D = Root diameter of sheave in inches z
F = Load (wheel pressure) in lbs
r = Groove radius in inches
cos v = (a-b) / (a+b)
z = Auxiliary value from Figure 5

Auxiliary value z for various angles

v 90 - 85° 84 - 75° 74 – 65° 64 – 55° 54 – 45° 44 – 35° 34 – 25° 24 – 15° 14 – 5° 4 – 0°
z 1.0 1.007 1.030 1.065 1.124 1.211 1.346 1.541 2.109 0

Figure 5

Armored cable, circumferential load

There is no specific calculation for this application. Please contact
our engineers if your application calls for these conditions.

Bearing press fit tolerance

Minimum recommended press fit for bearing seat with needle roller
or ball bearing. For other roller bearings and bronze bushings,
multiply the press fit undersize by 1.6. Tolerance should be
+/- 0.002 (+/- 0.05 mm).

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 inches
Press fit undersize (interference)

.
.
per inch or mm OD

.
.
.
.
.

mm
Bearing or Bushing OD

Figure 6

6 3
 Center bore pressure
Besides the pressure between cable and groove, the pressure between center bore and bearing outer race must be
calculated for the proper sheave design.

N/mm2

40

30
Fres

Maximum p’
p=
d1 • L • Y 20

10
d1 = Bearing OD in inches (or mm)
Fres = Total load in Ibs (or N)
Y = Number of bearings
Ambient Temperature (°F)
L = Bearing load carrying width in inches (or mm)
Figure 7: Maximum continuous
center bore pressure p vs. temp.

The calculated area pressure on the bearing outer race must be less than the values given in Figure 7. If the values are
greater, a steel sleeve should be used in the bore. The bearings could then be pressed into the steel sleeve. A decision
to use a cast nylon sheave in a specific application can only be made once both the area pressure in the groove and on
the bearing outer race have been calculated.

Sheaves Without Bearings

The calculation for surface area pressure for bushings (running the sheave on the shaft) is the same as for anti-friction
bearings. However, for a bushing, the area pressure must be multiplied by the speed of the sheave in order to obtain
the PV-value. The PV-value decides whether the sheave can run directly on the shaft

PV-value = Pressure x Velocity in (N/mm2 x m/s)

Sheaves made of Oilamid® (cast nylon + oil) have a maximum PV-value of about 0.1 N/mm2 x m/s when running dry
or 0.6 N/mm2 x m/s when running with lubrication. Anti-friction bearings should be used where these PV-values are
exceeded.
inches

Operating bearing play

in % of shaft diameter
Minimum recommended operating
bearing play for sheaves running
directly on the shaft.

mm

Bushing ID

Figure 8

7 8
 Load Calculation Example

Conditions:
Sheave tread diameter: 23”
Wire Rope: 1” diameter open stranded (1/4” strand diameter, 8 strands)
Load: 20,000 lbs line pull with 120° wrap angle
Bearing: Tapered roller (2) OD 4.375” x 1.5” long (cup length 1.1875”)

Groove pressure:

Fres= 2 • 20000 • sin [120 ] = 34,641 psi Result:

2
The sheave groove can withstand the line pull at line speeds up to about
(2 • 0.525) • 34641 = 44,038 600 ft/min. in ambient temperatures of 70°F or line speeds up to about
p’e = 650 •
2 • 0.525 • 0.25 • 23 300 ft/min. at ambient temperatures up to about 100°F (see Figure 3).
3 These figures are for continuous service. Load capacity for intermittent
p’ = 44038 • = 26,967 psi
8 operation is higher.

Bore pressure:

p= 34641 Result:
= 3334 psi
4.375 • 1.1875 • 2 The sheave bore can hold the load at ambient temperatures up to about
120°F in continuous service (see Figure 7).

Press Fit Undersize of Center Bore (see Figure 6):

4.375 • 0.0033 = 0.014” • 1.6 = 0.0231” Center bore size should be 4.352”
4.375” - 0.0231 = 4.352” Tolerance: +0.000” /- 0.004”

7 8
Worksheet for Sheaves Made of Cast Nylon
Company Name ______________________________________________________________________________

Contact name ________________________________________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________________________________________

Telephone____________________________ Fax__________________________ Date ___________________

Sheave information Application Information

Outer Diameter (OD) __________________ Inches Line Pull (Fs) _________________________ lbs
Root Diameter (D) _____________________ Inches Rope Speed (V)_______________________ fpm
Hub Diameter (h) _____________________ Inches Ambient Temperature (Ta) min.___ max___ ˚F
Center Bore Diameter (b) ______________ Inches Wrap Angle (α) _______________________ ˚
Sheave Thickness (B1) ________________ Inches Fleet Angle __________________________ ˚
Hub Thickness (B2) ___________________ Inches Type of Loading † Circumferential † Point
Groove Radius (r) ____________________ Inches
B1

Type of Sheave † Fixed † Free Hanging r

Color † Natural White † Black

Bearing/Bushing Information
Bearing/Bushing OD (d1) ______________ inches

Bearing/Bushing Width (L) _____________ inches

B2
Number of Bearings (Y) _______________

Shaft Diameter (s) ____________________ inches

Type of Bearing † Bushing † Anti-Friction

OD D h b
Supply with † Bearing † Bushing † Neither

Wire Rope Information

Rope Diameter (d) ____________________ inches

Strand Diameter (d1) __________________ inches

Number of Strands (Z) _________________

Type of Rope † Open Wire † Armored Cable

Quantity Requirements
Qty to be quoted ____ Annual Qty Required ____

engineer would be happy

to assist you in your
sheave design.
9
 In addition to being the largest supplier of
machined non-metallic sheaves in North
America, Timco offers a broad range of
other fabricated parts to our customers. Our
material options from UHMW-PE and nylon
to vulcanized fibre and PEEK means our
focus is on choosing the right material for
your application. Engineering plastics are
machined to our customer’s specifications
using only the highest quality, heat treated and
closely inspected plastic materials. There is no
minimum production size. Timco can provide
everything from prototypes to full production
quantities.

So, if in addition to sheaves you need other

fabricated wear or structural components,
please contact Timco for a quotation.

Timco, Inc.
2 Greentown Road
Buchanan, NY 10511

(914) 736-0206
Fax: (914) 736-0395
www.timco-eng.com

An ISO 9001:2000 Certified Company

All statements, technical information and recommendations contained in this brochure are presented in good faith, based upon tests believed to be
reliable and practical field experience. The reader is cautioned, however, that Timco, Inc. cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this
information, and it is the customer’s responsibility to determine the suitability of Timco products in any given application. We do not guarantee,
nor do we accept an obligation of liability in connection with the information provided. We will credit the cost - or supply replacement - for material
supplied by us, and found to be defective in our judgement. We are not responsible for expenses resulting from the use of the materials described in
this brochure. ® Oilamid is a trademark of Licharz GmbH.

40 Years of Designing and Manufacturing Parts for Industrial Equipment