Help with minimum turning radius of tracks

leonffrench

Hi all hopefully someone can help me.

I am making a conveyor type thing. I am making the tracks (double track 500mm apart like train tracks) from 20mm round pvc conduit and I am using U Groove casters as the wheels that sit on the tracks. 4 of the casters will be attached on the corners of the "train".

I want the track to be in a continuous loop but straight on the 4 sides with a curve on each corner.

Does anyone know how I would work out what the radius of the corner curve should be for the "train" to go around the corner smootly and not derail.

Hope this makes sense.

2011

This would depend on many factors including (but not limited to):

1) The speed of the train
2) The weight of the load
3) The how low the center of gravity of the load is
4) The distance between the front and rear wheels of the train
5) The depth of engagement between the wheels and the tracks
6) How much camber there is on the tracks at the corners and is it positive or negative.
7) How secure the load is on the train.
8) Any other forces acting on the train?

So lots to think about

By adjusting any of the above parameters it is possible to reduce the bending radius further.

leonffrench

I think I'm in over my head ha. Trial and error may be the best option. thanks for the reply