Meter listens to belt tension
The US power transmission specialist Econobelt has announced a belt tension tester which uses sound waves instead of force deflection to measure tension accurately.
The portable, lightweight 507C meter (above) is based on the theory that belts, like strings, vibrate at a natural frequency that depends on their mass and span length.
The user enters a belt mass constant, the belt width and the span length into the meter, which is then held against the belt while it its "strummed" to make it vibrate. The meter measures this vibration and converts it into belt tension, producing results in Hertz, kg/lb and Newtons.
The meter, which has an operating frequency range from 10-5,000Hz, is said to produce repeatable results in seconds. Econobelt says that alternative testers based on a springs, require a piece of string, at least three hands, and considerable muscle to operate.
