Can I order a custom sprocket online?

Yes. Generate the sprocket in the browser and select Order, which uploads the STEP file into a new Fabworks quote. You can also upload your own STEP or DXF sprocket design to a quote.

Which materials can a custom sprocket be cut from?

Choose from Fabworks plate stock such as steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, in the thicknesses offered for each. Steel is the usual choice for wear; aluminum saves weight in light-duty and robot drives.

What plate thickness fits my chain?

The plate must fit inside the chain’s inside width with side clearance. Typical choices are 1/4 in for #40 (0.312 in wide), 3/16 in for #41 (0.250 in), and 3/8 in for #60 (0.500 in); the selector marks a stock thickness that fits.

Can I add a hub, keyway, or bolt pattern?

You can add a round, hex, keyed, or D-flat bore and up to two hole patterns on a circle for bolting the plate to a hub or lightening it. The generator makes a flat plate sprocket, so a raised hub is a separate part.

Are laser-cut sprockets suitable for production machines?

Yes, for low to moderate speed and load. Laser-cut plate parts suit prototypes, robots, fixtures, and light machinery; critical, high-speed, or high-load drives need engineering review of material, thickness, hub attachment, alignment, lubrication, and wear.

Which chain sizes can I make sprockets for?

ANSI #25, #35, #40, #41, #50, and #60 have presets, with 7 to 150 teeth. Other roller chains, including ISO B-series, can use a custom pitch and roller diameter.

Power transmission calculator

Custom Sprocket Design & Laser Cutting

Design a custom plate sprocket for ANSI roller chain with your bore, hub holes, and material, then order it laser cut from Fabworks.

Build a laser-cut plate sprocket

Select a roller chain and tooth count, then set the bore, holes, and plate.

Units

Roller chain

Sprocket teeth

Shaft speed

rpm

Chain pitch

Roller diameter

Tooth fit

Mating sprocket

Add the driven sprocket to see the ratio and output speed, and generate both parts.

Hub, holes, and plate

Bore

Bore diameter

Mounting holes

Lightening holes

Fabworks plate material

Plate thickness for chain fitMin. feature 0.050 in · 1.27 mm

Generated dimensions

Recommended chain fit

Pitch diameter: 2.8794 in
Outside diameter: 3.1356 in
Root diameter: 2.5628 in
Roller seat radius: 0.1583 in
Chain speed At 300 rpm: 225 ft/min
Plate: Steel 1008 · 0.187 in
Chain side clearance: 0.0628 in per side

ANSI roller chain dimensions

Recommended plate thickness leaves side clearance inside the chain.

ANSI #40 selected

Chain	Pitch	Roller diameter	Inside width	Ideal plate
ANSI #25	0.250 in · 6.35 mm	0.130 in · 3.302 mm	0.125 in · 3.175 mm	0.098 in · 2.5 mm
ANSI #35	0.375 in · 9.525 mm	0.200 in · 5.08 mm	0.188 in · 4.763 mm	0.118 in · 3 mm
ANSI #40	0.500 in · 12.7 mm	0.312 in · 7.925 mm	0.313 in · 7.938 mm	0.250 in · 6.35 mm
ANSI #41	0.500 in · 12.7 mm	0.306 in · 7.772 mm	0.250 in · 6.35 mm	0.188 in · 4.763 mm
ANSI #50	0.625 in · 15.875 mm	0.400 in · 10.16 mm	0.375 in · 9.525 mm	0.313 in · 7.938 mm
ANSI #60	0.750 in · 19.05 mm	0.469 in · 11.913 mm	0.500 in · 12.7 mm	0.375 in · 9.525 mm

Laser-cut profile preview

The B29.1 profile uses a roller seating curve, working curve, tangent flat, and topping curve. The dashed circle is the pitch circle and the filled circle is a seated roller.

ASME B29.1 profile

Download the manufacturing files

100% in-browser

STEP solids are built and checked in your browser. DXF and SVG drawings use lines and true arcs at full scale. Nothing is uploaded until you order.

Sprocket
3.136 in × 3.096 in

Laser cut it at Fabworks

We generate the STEP files, add them to a new quote, and open it in a new tab where you can review material, finish, and quantity.

The STEP uses the ASME B29.1 theoretical tooth form and catalog outside-diameter truncation. Manufacturing tolerances, material, heat treatment, alignment, lubrication, and application loads still require engineering review.

Quick answer

How this custom sprocket calculator works

You can design a custom roller chain sprocket in the browser and order it laser cut: pick the ANSI chain size and tooth count, add a bore and bolt pattern, choose steel, stainless, or aluminum plate, and send it to a Fabworks quote. The generator uses the ASME B29.1 tooth form and checks narrow gaps and webs against the minimum feature size for the plate you choose.

How to use the calculator

1Choose the ANSI chain (#25, #35, #40, #41, #50, #60) or a custom pitch and roller diameter.
2Enter the tooth count from 7 to 150 and the tooth fit.
3Add a bore: round, hex, keyed round with a standard key width, or D-flat.
4Add up to two hole patterns on a circle, such as a hub bolt circle and lightening holes.
5Choose the Fabworks material and plate thickness, and clear any minimum-feature warnings.
6Select Order to upload the generated STEP into a new Fabworks quote, or download STEP, DXF, or SVG.

Worked example

Custom #40 sprocket with a bolt circle

Inputs: 18-tooth #40 sprocket, round bore, a bolt circle for a hub, and lightening holes, cut from 1/4 in steel plate.
Result: Pitch diameter 2.879 in and outside diameter 3.136 in, with the bore and holes in the same generated STEP.

1/4 in plate fits inside #40 chain’s 0.312 in inside width with side clearance. The generated STEP goes into a quote for normal material, manufacturability, and pricing review.

Common questions

What to know before using the result

Can I order a custom sprocket online?: Yes. Generate the sprocket in the browser and select Order, which uploads the STEP file into a new Fabworks quote. You can also upload your own STEP or DXF sprocket design to a quote.
Which materials can a custom sprocket be cut from?: Choose from Fabworks plate stock such as steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, in the thicknesses offered for each. Steel is the usual choice for wear; aluminum saves weight in light-duty and robot drives.
What plate thickness fits my chain?: The plate must fit inside the chain’s inside width with side clearance. Typical choices are 1/4 in for #40 (0.312 in wide), 3/16 in for #41 (0.250 in), and 3/8 in for #60 (0.500 in); the selector marks a stock thickness that fits.
Can I add a hub, keyway, or bolt pattern?: You can add a round, hex, keyed, or D-flat bore and up to two hole patterns on a circle for bolting the plate to a hub or lightening it. The generator makes a flat plate sprocket, so a raised hub is a separate part.
Are laser-cut sprockets suitable for production machines?: Yes, for low to moderate speed and load. Laser-cut plate parts suit prototypes, robots, fixtures, and light machinery; critical, high-speed, or high-load drives need engineering review of material, thickness, hub attachment, alignment, lubrication, and wear.
Which chain sizes can I make sprockets for?: ANSI #25, #35, #40, #41, #50, and #60 have presets, with 7 to 150 teeth. Other roller chains, including ISO B-series, can use a custom pitch and roller diameter.

Formula

Dₚ = p ÷ sin(180° ÷ N)

Pitch diameter Dₚ is set by chain pitch p and tooth count N. The generated profile follows the ASME B29.1-2011 (R2022) theoretical tooth construction: roller seating curve, working curve, tangent flat, topping curve, and catalog outside-diameter truncation.

Engineering references

Assumptions and limits

Presets use nominal ANSI roller-chain pitch and roller diameter values covered by ASME B29.1.
The browser-generated STEP is a closed, uniform-thickness plate sprocket with a round bore.
Nominal fit uses the standard theoretical minimum seating curve; optional clearance and tip relief are deliberate deviations for prototype tuning.
Hubs, keyways, bore tolerances, material, heat treatment, and high-speed applications require an engineering review.
Chain speed assumes the sprocket rotates at the entered shaft speed without slip.

Educational estimate

Use this result for learning and early design exploration. Verify safety-critical or production decisions with the governing standard, material data, real tooling, and a qualified engineer.

Keep designing

Fabworks resources

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