Over 110 years of Quality P e rf o rmance and Serv i c e

www.diamondchain.com
The attention to detail that goes into the fabrication of component
p a rts is not forgotten when assembly operations begin. During the
assembly of every pitch of Diamond chain, four key components (pin,
bushing, pin link plates and roller link plates) are examined
c a re f u l l y. These four parts are critical in maintaining chain integrity
and controlling chain length. Sections of chain are tensile-tested for
c o n f o rmance to Diamond’s specifications which are greater than those
specified by ASME/ANSI, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers and
Shot Peening
The American National Standards Institute. Sub-assemblies are evaluated, too, for both pin and
bushing press-out force. Holding-power tests are done to ensure that the sub-assemblies are of the
highest quality and will not become the “weak link” in the chain. All this “self inspection” allows us
to examine how the parts work separately as well as together. And, when new components are
added during assembly, additional tests are perf o rmed to ensure the integrity of the complete
chain remains unchanged.
Diamond even identifies our chains with a unique code, we call it a “date stamp,” that is applied
during assembly. This code gives us information about the components used to produce the chain.
This means that Diamond Chain has traceability as to the material used to produce a component,
fabricated on a specific piece of machinery, heat treated in a specific furnace and finally, assembled on a
specific date. That’s a significant feature that other chain manufacturers just don’t have.
One might think that assembly is the final step in producing a product, but
at Diamond we still have a couple of things left to do. After the chains are
assembled, we apply an initial load to the chains, called preload. This
loading approximates the recommended loading a chain can expect in
s e rvice. Preloading is done to align the various chain components such
as pins, bushings and link plates. Preloading helps eliminate initial elongation
and can increase the usable service life of your chain.
We even subject our own product to perf o rmance testing at conditions
well beyond recommended limits. Tests on link plate fatigue, ro l l e r / b u s h i n g
fatigue and initial lubrication wear are perf o rmed to search out the chain’s endurance P re l o a d i n g
limits. This “tort u re testing” allows us to set recommended limits that we can stand behind.
CHAIN PERFORMANCE
You could look at two diff e rent brands of roller chain and probably not see a diff e rence on the
s u rface. However, where you will see a diff e rence is in their perf o rmance. The working load of a ro l l e r
chain is often its most important characteristic. Contrary to popular belief, there is no consistent
relationship between a roller chain’s working load capacity and its ultimate tensile strength. Many times
chains are selected on their published tensile strengths, which are breaking loads.
10
Nothing outlasts a Diamond. ®