This section provides an overview for idler sprockets as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 26 idler sprocket manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked idler sprocket companies as of November, 2024: 1.P.T. International, 2.Global Bearing Imports, 3.YQ-CHINATRANSMISSIONS.
Table of Contents
An idler sprocket is a component that alters the path of a chain and rotates, powered by the chain's movement. It also transmits the chain's power to other parts. Idlers come in various forms, but the sprocket idler, in particular, is gear-shaped and engages with the chain grooves to rotate. Bearings are integrated inside the idler to ensure smooth rotation in sync with the chain. Idler sprockets are essential components in a wide range of machines.
Idler sprockets are primarily used to transmit power via the chain. A common example is in bicycles, where pedal rotation is transferred to the chain and through the sprocket idlers, turning the wheels and propelling the bicycle forward. Beyond bicycles, these sprockets are vital in engines, generators, and other machinery requiring rotational motion, including transportation devices, machine tools, and food packaging machines.
Idler sprockets are designed to change the path of a belt or chain and transmit power through rotation. Their structure is generally uniform, resembling gears. Bearings within the sprocket facilitate smooth rotation, and the sprocket's center is typically secured with a nut. While the basic structure is consistent, the side profile varies depending on the type of belt or chain used. For idler sprockets, this includes jagged edges compatible with chains. Due to constant wear from the chain, sprockets are often made of metal for durability, though plastic versions are sometimes employed to reduce weight.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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PEER Chain, founded in Waukegan, Illinois, in 1969 is a manufacturer of Industrial Roller Chains. The company's product portfolio includes Standard Roller Chains, ANSI Standard Roller Chains, Multi-Strand Roller Chains, Quest Solid Bushing Standard Roller Chains and C-Type Standard Roller Chains. The company serves markets including Medical and Healthcare, Aerospace and Defense, Consumer Goods, Industrial Manufacturing and Construction and Building. The company also provides services including national distribution, product selection, customized services, technical support and customer service.
Linn Gear, established in 1954 and based in Oregon, United States, is a manufacturer and supplier of stock and custom mechanical power transmission components for industrial applications. The company’s product range includes a variety of gears, such as spur gears and change gears, along with components like change gear bushings and miter gears. Additionally, they produce sprockets and related products, serving the industrial machinery sector. The company stocks finished goods available for immediate shipment as well as semi-finished goods that can be customized to meet customer specifications and requirements.
ProCam Services LLC is a full-service machine shop and supplier of components to various industries including Automotive, Manufacturing, and Engineering. The company was founded in 1995 and is based in Jenison, Michigan. ProCam specializes in CNC machining, Milling, Turning, and Routing using various materials including stainless steel, carbon steel, brass, as well as various types of plastics. The company offers custom-machined automation components such as plates and pallets to the automation industry. ProCam also does secondary operations such as welding, fabrication, and specialty coatings.
Dalton Gear Company was formed in 1955 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company is a manufacturer of custom and standard gears related to machined parts for domestic and international customers. The company’s standard parts include overload safety devices, worm gear reducers, and drive tensioners & idler sprockets. The company’s customized manufacturing is accomplished using CNC machining with capabilities including machine centers and CNC lathes with accuracy down to 0.0005 inches, and additional operations such as grading and honing.
Aetna Bearing Company is a manufacturer of precision ball and roller bearings. Established in 1916, the company is based in Livonia, Michigan, USA. The company specializes in designing and producing precision ball and roller bearings such as Aetna clutch, Aetna idler, and Aetna thrust for various industries. Its product range includes cylindrical roller bearings, needle roller bearings, and thrust bearings, serving sectors such as automotive, industrial, and aerospace. Aetna Bearing offers services like bearing customization, design engineering, application engineering, manufacturing engineering, and research and development.
Martin Sprocket & Gear, Inc. (MSG) is an Arlington, Texas-based manufacturer and supplier of power transmission products, material handlers, and industrial hand tools. Founded in 1951, the company primarily serves clients in the pulp and paper, petrochemical, automotive, and agriculture industries. The company produces various products including conveyors, sprockets, sheaves, bushings, and custom products for client companies like John Deere and General Electric. MSG has over thirty operating plants across the United States, with retail locations and storage facilities on three continents.
B&B Manufacturing, established in 1998, and based in Indiana, USA, is a manufacturer and supplier of mechanical components for different industries. Their product portfolio includes gates, timing belts, pulleys, drive parts, flanges, gears, sheaves, and sprockets. The company also offers a wide variety of power transmission and precision mechanical components with consultation services. The products are used in various industries which include 3D Printers, ACHE sprockets, CNC machinery, medical, robotics, and vending machinery.
Lutco, Inc., founded in 1945 and headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA, is a manufacturer of precision ball bearings, bearing assemblies, and various custom-engineered components. The product range includes various ball bearings, roller bearings, and complex assemblies, used for the robust durability, precision, and stability. These products offer benefits such as reduced friction, extended equipment lifespan, and improved performance in challenging operating conditions across diverse industries, including automotive sector, industrial machinery, agriculture, and transportation of materials, where dependable and optimal-performance bearings are essential for necessary operation. The company is ISO9001:2015 certified, and offers customized solutions for clients.
The Timken Company (Timken) was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in North Canton, Ohio. Timken designs, manufactures, and manages engineered bearings and industrial motion products worldwide. Timken operates in two segments, Mobile Industries and Process Industries. The Mobile Industries segment’s portfolio includes bearings, seals, and lubrication devices and systems. The Process Industries segment provides industrial bearings and assemblies; industrial motion components, such as gears and gearboxes; and linear motion products, couplings, seals, lubricants, chains, belts, and related products and services to OEMs and end users in various industries.
G&G Manufacturing Co. is an American manufacturer of power transmission products and parts that was founded in 1943. Based in Omaha, Nebraska, the company produces over 3,500 standard transmission components including light duty sheaves and bushings, sprockets, power take-off (PTO) drivelines, and roller chains. These are used by clients in the material handling, military, mining, and agricultural sectors. G&G also offers engineering and fabrication services for customer projects that have unique specifications.
Brewer Machine & Gear Company is a manufacturer and distributor of tensioners and accessories for industrial applications. Established in 1944, the company is based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. The company specializes in designing and manufacturing a wide range of "custom" gears and sprockets. Its product offerings include spurs, helicals, miters, bevels, and worm gears as well as timing pulleys (including HTD), sprockets tensioners, accessories, and custom solutions, serving sectors such as packaging, paper processing, and textiles. Brewer Machine & Gear Company provides services like technical consultation and product customization.
Nitro Chain, LLC, introduced in 2014, is a power transference supplier specializing in Made To Order products for OEMs & resellers, such as specialty chains, custom-manufactured sprockets, and attachment roller chains. The roller chain categories are ANSI, metric, conveyor, corrosion-resistant, and application-specific chains made from plastic, stainless steel, and plated nickel. The products are used in agricultural, food & beverage, lumber, and material handling industries. The company is located in Belgium, WI, and is ISO 9001: 2015 and IATF 16949:2016 certified with custom product services.
Global Bearings Import (GBI), based in Austell, Georgia, provides quality bearings and related products in the power transmission industry. Established in 1977, GBI offers ball bearings often used in aerospace, roller bearings, seals, and various other power transmission components. As part of an integrated family of companies under KS Supplies, GBI boasts exceptional customer service, technical expertise, and competitive pricing, making it a trusted partner for businesses seeking reliable and efficient solutions for their bearings needs.
Katayama Chain, Co., Ltd., established in 1958 and located in Higashi-Osaka-shi, Osaka, is a manufacturer of power transmission equipment and transport equipment. Their comprehensive product range includes chains, gears, shaft couplings, and roller conveyors. These products are engineered to deliver efficient power transmission in various industries, such as automotive, industrial machinery, agriculture, and construction. Katayama Chain, Co., Ltd. adheres to stringent control measures, ensuring that their power transmission solutions meet or exceed industry standards that are reflected in their certifications, such as ISO 9001.
Challenge, established in 1979 and based in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom, is a manufacturer of a broad range of power transmission products. The company specializes in making roller chains, double-pitch chains, taper bore sprockets, classical V-belts, and V-pulleys. It also manufactures tire couplings, chain couplings, motor mounts, gearboxes, and bearing units. The advantages of its roller chains include pins manufactured from chrome manganese molybdenum steel that increase wear resistance and shock absorption abilities and ball-swaged holes that combat fatigue failure.
Hangzhou Ever-power Transmission Co., Ltd., established in 2006 in China, operates as an exporter, manufacturer, and supplier of speed reducers, planetary gearboxes, and helical gearboxes. The company specializes in producing customized variators, geared motors, electric motors, and other hydraulic products based on customers' drawings. It produces various types of mechanical and hydraulic transmissions, such as spiral and helical reducers, automatic transmissions, and drive shafts. Remarkably, 80% of its products are internationally exported, catering to markets including the United States, Germany, Japan, Australia, the Middle East, and other regions.
Miki Pulley Co., Ltd., founded in 1939, is a manufacturer and provider of solutions for power transmission and control problems, headquartered in Kawasaki City, Japan. They manufacture various products essential for all industries, including couplings for high-precision power transmission, electromagnetic clutches and brakes for power transmission when energized, and speed changers and reducers for controlling the speed of machinery. They also offer inverters, linear shaft drives, rotation speed indicators, torque limiters, and ROSTA rubber springs.
Furnace Belt Co., established in Buffalo, New York in 1972, is a manufacturer of woven metal conveyor belting, including friction or positive (chain) drive applications. Their product portfolio includes woven metal conveyor belts, including flat wire belts, balanced weave belts, and compound balanced belts, designed for various industries and material handling tasks, as well as Conveyor Belt Accessories. The company serves markets including Electronics and Semiconductors, Metalworking and Machining, Glass and Ceramics and Woodworking and Forestry.
U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission LLC., founded in 1971 and based in Wheeling, Illinois, is a manufacturer and supplier of motion control and power transmission products and is ISO 9001 certified. Its products include sprockets, conveyor chains, and roller chains used in several industries, including automotive, primary metals, and forest products. It’s a subsidiary of the Tsubakimoto Chain Company, and it has several manufacturing facilities in the United States, including Milwaukee (WI), Sandusky (OH), and Chicopee (MA). The company sells its products through distribution channels but can sell directly to qualified OEMs.
MiMotion was founded in 1946 in Birmingham, Alabama and today operates under Genuine Parts Company. The company operates as a distributor and supplier of custom parts for both maintenance repair and operating replacement part market and the OEM market. The company’s product line includes many types of products including abrasives, chemicals & lubricants, hand & power tools, hose & fittings, and process pumps & equipment. The company also provides maintenance repair and operating replacement parts as well as OEM parts ensuring compatibility with existing customer operations.
P.T. International, also known as PTI, was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. PTI is a distributor of European metric and American standard industrial power transmission products, serving the food/beverage, wood products, steel, automotive, and other industries. PTI’s 3 product segments are bearings, power transmission components, and linear products. PTI also offers value-added services including bearing forensics, private branding & custom labeling, custom projects, and new product designing. PTI is ISO 9001 certified.
Schaeffler Group, founded in 1946 in Germany, is a manufacturer and supplier of precision-engineered components and systems for automotive and industrial applications. The company's product portfolio encompasses a wide range of solutions, including high-precision bearings, rolling and plain bearings, linear technology, and engine components. These products find applications in various industries, such as automotive, aerospace, industrial machinery, and renewable energy. The company continuous to develop advanced technologies that improve efficiency, sustainability, and performance across different sectors, remains a key player in shaping the future of mobility and industries.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | P.T. International |
8.6%
|
2 | Global Bearing Imports |
8.6%
|
3 | YQ-CHINATRANSMISSIONS |
5.7%
|
4 | Eliminator Manufacturing |
5.7%
|
5 | Challenge |
5.7%
|
6 | Hangzhou Ever-Power Transmission Co., Ltd. |
5.7%
|
7 | Aetna Bearing Company |
5.7%
|
8 | Lutco, Inc. |
5.7%
|
9 | PEER Chain |
5.7%
|
10 | Furnace Belt Co. |
5.7%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the idler sprocket page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 14 | 77.8% |
Japan | 2 | 11.1% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 5.6% |
China | 1 | 5.6% |