Belt Tensioner | BESTRobotics2025

Contact Name: Robert Smith, [email protected]

School: Garden City High School - #0370

BEST Hub: Kansas BEST, under Denver BEST Region

Function and Purpose

• The purpose of the belt tensioner is (as implied by the name) to add tension to the belt system. 
• Much like one you might find in a automotive engine, most belt systems have natural sag and looseness, that is caused by the needed ability to install and uninstall them from systems. The belt tensioners job is to provide adequate support and tightness, while maintaining the ability to have easy removal
• See the diagram below for a drawn-out example on our wonderful robot! (Figure 1.1)

Figure 1.1

The Benefits 

• There are many benefits to the robots function, the big one being the reduction and elimination of belt slippage
•  The primary loading and sorting system of Factoids is driving by the mechanical belt mounted on the front of the robot. Because of limitations in manufacturing and limited materials the belt has natural sag and is subject to frequent slippages, where the driving gears will move but not the belt.
• The belt tensioner eliminates this slippage by pushing the conveyor belt out (figure 1.1) and pulling it tight. Pulling it tight has the effect of increasing force on the driving gears and, subsequently, increases the friction between the two. 
• This takes the biggest problem identified in practice, the feeding mechanisms unreliability, and solves it in one highly efficient part

Design Process

• There were many iterations and design choices which can all be seen below (figure 1.2)
• Fusion 360 was used in all aspects of designing and revision, with even more iterations never making it to the print bed

Figure 1.2

Innovations/decisions of each

• 1.0 Used as proof of concept and practice in modeling spring mechanisms (snapped in testing)
• 2.0 First design iteration of the arm system in a 1:2 scale
• 3.0 Combination of both systems (ruled to complex and stiff)
• 4.0 2.0 but on a bigger, 1:1 scale. (ruled to flexible)
• 5.0 The best of both worlds, combining 4.0 and a design spring from 1.0

Printing

• Here are parameters for how we printed it and if you want to print your own
  • Printer used - Prusa Mk3S+
  • Infill - 15% infill
  • Brim -  No
  • Supports - N/A
  • Speed - 100%
  • Filament - PLA

    Tips on printing

• There are no supports needed, so you can save on materials!
• It is about a 2 hour print

Happy Printing, don't get to tense :)

#BESTRobotics2025