Full DIN 8187 & ISO/R 606 Compliance

Every 04B-1 sprocket is manufactured to the geometric tolerances prescribed by DIN 8187 and ISO/R 606, ensuring drop-in compatibility with standard 6mm pitch roller chains from any globally approved supplier. This eliminates costly chain-sprocket mismatch, reduces system downtime, and simplifies cross-border sourcing for international OEMs and maintenance teams operating multi-site manufacturing facilities.

Comprehensive Z=8 to Z=125 Range

The full 04B-1 series covers 46 discrete tooth counts from Z=8 to Z=125, providing engineers with the flexibility to achieve precise gear ratio requirements in compact or extended drive configurations. This breadth of selection is particularly valuable when designing multi-stage conveyor systems, dosing equipment, and automated packaging lines where individual stage ratios must be carefully balanced to optimise throughput and minimise chain wear.

Case-Hardened Tooth Flanks

The tooth profile on each 04B-1 sprocket undergoes controlled induction hardening to achieve a case depth and surface hardness optimised for the 6×2.8mm chain pitch. The result is a dramatically extended service life under cyclic loading, resistance to abrasive wear even in low-lubrication environments, and maintained pitch accuracy over tens of millions of chain engagement cycles—a critical factor in food-safe, pharmaceutical, and clean-room drive systems.

Factory Bore Machining & Keyway

Sprockets are supplied either pilot-bored for on-site finishing or fully machined to customer-specified bore diameters with keyway slots, set-screw holes, and tapped flanges. In-house CNC turning ensures concentricity tolerances within 0.02mm, eliminating eccentric loading that causes premature bearing and chain failure. This factory bore service is available on all quantities, from small batches for prototype builds to large-volume production orders.

Global Supply & UK Stock

With distribution hubs serving the United Kingdom, continental Europe, North America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, 04B-1 sprockets are available for same-week dispatch on popular tooth counts. UK-based maintenance teams benefit from competitive ex-stock pricing, while global OEM customers can negotiate consolidated shipping programmes to reduce total procurement cost across multi-territory production lines. Export documentation and material certificates are supplied as standard.

Full Technical Documentation

Every order is supported by complete dimensional datasheets, material certifications (EN 10204 3.1 on request), hardness test reports, and CAD drawings in DXF/STEP format for direct integration into your engineering design environment. This documentation suite satisfies procurement requirements for ISO 9001, ATEX-classified installations, and food-industry hygiene compliance audits, removing a significant administrative burden from engineering and quality assurance teams.

ⓘ H=4mm — From Z=66 the width of the plate is increased

“We trialled a dozen 04B-1 sprocket suppliers over four years. The dimensional accuracy here is in a different league—bore concentricity came in at 0.015mm deviation on the 12 sprockets we CMM-checked at goods-in. For our Lincolnshire agricultural machinery line, that precision directly translates to reduced gearbox bearing replacement frequency.”

“Sourcing 04B-1 sprockets at short notice for a plant shutdown in Glasgow is never straightforward, but this supplier had Z=21 and Z=45 in stock ready to dispatch on the same day I called. The sprockets arrived machined to our exact bore spec, keyway included. The line was back up within the shift window. That’s the kind of supplier response that justifies a long-term framework agreement.”

“In pharmaceutical packaging we cannot afford any positional drift on our blister-card indexing conveyors. The 04B-1 Z=13 sprockets we specified have now run for 22 months without any measurable pitch circle wear. The full material certification and DXF drawings that came with the order satisfied our QA requirements first time, with no back-and-forth. Very professional, technically credible supplier.”

Custom Bore & Keyway Machining

Bore diameters from 5mm to 70mm, H6/H7 tolerance, with single or double keyways, set-screw flats, tapped radial holes, and split-hub clamping configurations on request.

Non-Standard Tooth Counts

Intermediate tooth counts not listed in the standard range (e.g. Z=36, Z=42) can be manufactured to order with the same DIN 8187 tooth profile and full dimensional certification.

Special Materials & Coatings

Stainless steel 304/316, Duplex stainless, engineering polymers (PA66-GF30, UHMW-PE), electroless nickel, hard chrome, and PTFE-impregnated coatings for food-safe and chemical-resistant applications.

OEM Volume Programmes

Dedicated production scheduling, consignment stock held at our UK warehouse, barcoded part identification to your own part numbers, and EDI procurement integration available for OEM customers ordering 500+ pieces per annum.

Where can I buy a 04B-1 sprocket with a custom bore for a food packaging conveyor in the United Kingdom?

You can order 04B-1 sprockets with custom bore diameters directly from gear-chains.com, which supplies UK food processing and packaging customers across England, Scotland, and Wales from stock and on short-lead custom production. Bore machining to H7 tolerance, keyway slots, and set-screw tapping are available on all tooth counts. For food-safe applications, stainless steel variants conforming to AISI 304/316 are also available. Email [email protected] with your bore size, keyway dimensions, and required tooth count for a same-day quotation.

What is the price of 04B-1 sprockets in the UK and do you offer bulk discount pricing for OEM production orders?

Pricing for 04B-1 sprockets varies by tooth count, material specification, bore machining requirements, and order quantity. Standard pilot-bore steel sprockets are competitively priced for single-piece and small-batch orders, with significant unit price reductions available on quantities of 25 pieces or more. OEM annual supply agreements with framework pricing, consignment stock, and EDI ordering are offered to customers with recurring requirements of 500 or more pieces per year. Please contact [email protected] with your annual volume estimate and part specifications to receive a tailored pricing schedule.

How do I know which tooth count to choose when specifying a 04B-1 sprocket for an agricultural machinery drive in the UK?

The correct tooth count is determined by your required speed ratio, available drive centre distance, and shaft diameter. As a practical guide: the drive (motor) sprocket tooth count should be at least Z=17 to minimise polygonal chordal action and vibration; the driven sprocket tooth count is then calculated by multiplying the drive sprocket teeth by the required reduction ratio. For UK agricultural equipment operating in dusty or gritty conditions, we recommend a minimum of Z=19 on the drive shaft to improve chain life, and sprockets should be specified in higher-alloy or zinc-phosphate coated steel for extended corrosion resistance. Our application engineering team can review your drive layout free of charge—send your speed requirements and shaft centres to [email protected].

What is the difference between DIN 8187 and ISO/R 606 and does the 04B-1 sprocket comply with both standards?

DIN 8187 is the German Institute for Standardisation’s specification for roller chains, covering pitch, roller diameter, inner width, and chain plate geometry. ISO/R 606 is the equivalent international standard that adopts virtually identical dimensional limits for the same chain series. In practice, a DIN 8187 04B chain and an ISO/R 606 04B chain are fully interchangeable. The 04B-1 sprocket conforms to both standards simultaneously: the tooth form, pitch circle calculations, and roller seating geometry comply with DIN 8187 tolerance bands and are simultaneously within ISO/R 606 acceptance criteria, meaning the sprocket can be used with chain from any globally compliant supplier.

When should I replace my 04B-1 sprocket and what are the signs of wear I should look for during a routine inspection?

The ISO standard replacement criterion for a 04B-1 sprocket is when tooth flank wear causes the pitch circle to shift measurably, or when the tooth root gap is visibly hooked or undercut when viewed from the side. Practically, inspection should cover: (1) a hooked or shark-fin profile on the tooth leading edge, indicating the chain has been climbing the tooth due to elongation; (2) visible metal removal from the roller seating area, detectable as a shiny flat on the tooth gap floor; (3) audible noise increase—clicking or rhythmic skipping during operation; and (4) chain elongation exceeding 1% of nominal pitch length, measured over 12 links using a chain wear gauge. On 04B-1 drives in food packaging environments running 16 hours per day, inspection at every 2,000 operating hours is recommended.

Which UK industries most commonly use 04B-1 sprockets and how long do they typically last in heavy-duty applications?

In the United Kingdom, 04B-1 sprockets are most widely used in food and beverage processing, pharmaceutical packaging, agricultural equipment manufacturing, printing and labelling machinery, and light industrial conveyor systems. Service life depends heavily on lubrication regime, operating speed, contamination level, and alignment precision. In clean, well-lubricated pharmaceutical or electronics assembly environments running at moderate speeds (under 200 rpm), a correctly specified 04B-1 sprocket can achieve 20,000 to 30,000+ operating hours before needing replacement. In high-speed, dry-running food packaging lines at 300+ rpm, service life typically ranges from 5,000 to 12,000 hours. Agricultural drives operating in abrasive conditions without enclosed guarding may see 2,000 to 5,000 hours. Proper alignment, tensioning within 3% of chain slack specification, and scheduled lubrication are the three most important factors in maximising service life.