WOLLO UNIVERSITY

COMBOLCHA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF TEXTILE ENGINEERING

Title: Design and Fabrication of Simple Cost Effective

Rope Making Machine

Prepared by:
1. Tariku Alemayehu ------------------- TER/1513/08
2. Merkebu shiferaw ------------------- TER/1513/08
3. Mulat Alebie ------------------------- TER/1513/08
4. Zewuditu Addis ---------------------- TER/1513/08

Wollo ETHIOPIA

JUNE 14, 2013

DECLARATION
We are 5th year textile engineering students. We have taken under the guidance of Academic
Advisor (Mr. Bayleyegn A.). We declare that the work which is being presented in this entitled is
“Design and manufacture simple rope making machine ” is original work of our own student;
we certify that, to the best of our knowledge, our thesis does not infringe upon anyone’s
copyright nor violate any proprietary rights and that any ideas, techniques, quotations, or any
other material from the work of other people included in our thesis, published or otherwise, are
fully acknowledged in accordance with the standard referencing practice

LUWAM. 06/10/2010E.C
Name of academic advisor Signature Date

WORKIE MUCHE 06/10/2010 E.C

ALEHGN TESFAYE 06/10/2010E.C

ALENE TEFERA 06/10/2010E.C

Name of the student Signature Date

II
 APPROVAL BY ADVISOR
As the student academic advisor, I certify that the Research written by the student is his original
work and compiled according to the guideline provided by guidelines, policies and legislations of
EiTEX during his research work.
LUWAM 06/010/2010E.C
Name of academic advisor Signature Date

III
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all thank the almighty God who gave us strength and encouragement. We have a grateful
gratitude acknowledge to our advisors Ms Luwam for advice and comments on our thesis. We
would like tanks greatly to EiTEX workshop give permission in order to due laboratory and also
to thank other personnel who gives comment are highly acknowledged for their voluntary
participation. Finally we would to thanks to Bahir Dar University institute of textile and fashion
design technology (EiTEX) for giving us the chance to practice to do thesis. We want to thank
them for all their help, support, interest and valuable hints.

IV
 EXECUTIVE SUMMΑRY
Rope making was a universal skill known in all tribes and civilizations from conventional to
fully automated rope making machine. The thesis work focus on simple rope making machine.
Which are Simple Machines are tools that help make work easier. Humans have been using
simple machines for thousands of years. Simple machines have few or no moving parts.
Complex machines have two or more simple machines working together to make work easier. In
Ethiopia most of rope manufacturing systems are traditional mostly with body friction which is
very tedious and it has high risk of health problem. Many of today’s rope making tools have
many moving parts. As a result they are complex and very expensive. In this thesis work we
design simple mechanical rope making machine which is easy to operate, have low component
or parts, operated with less muscle effort and medium speed.
The machine twists three strands to build a rope. Twisted ropes are built up in two steps. A
number of these yarns are then formed into strands by twisting. The strands are then twisted
together to lay the rope. The twist of the yarn is opposite to that of the strand, and that in turn is
opposite to that of the rope. It is this clockwise twist, introduced with each successive operation,
which holds the final rope together as a stable, unified object. The rope is called a cable laid rope
because it is made of three strands. Ropes have been around for thousands of years. They weren’t
always as advanced as the ones we can easily have access to these days, but they used to serve
for almost the same purposes. When going through the types of rope you might need, you should
consider the materials used to make them, their ability to stretch or not and how to practically
implement them. There is no general rope that’s good for everything, but depending on your
needs you can find the perfect rope type that won’t let you down when you most need it. Here
are the most common natural and synthetic ropes, and their characteristics. Try using different
colored yarns or experiment by using different materials, for example strips of materials.

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Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMΑRY............................................................................................................iii
CHAPER ONE...............................................................................................................................iii
1. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................iii
1.1. Theoretical Background...................................................................................................iii
1.2. Problem Statement............................................................................................................v
1.3. Objectives..........................................................................................................................v
1.3.1. General Objective......................................................................................................v
1.3.2. Specific Objective......................................................................................................v
1.4. Benefits and Beneficiaries...............................................................................................vi
1.4.1. Benefits.....................................................................................................................vi
1.4.2. Beneficiaries.............................................................................................................vi
1.5. Significance......................................................................................................................vi
CHΑPTER TWO............................................................................................................................iii
2. LITERATURE REVIEW........................................................................................................iii
2.1. INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................iii
2.2. History of Rope Making..................................................................................................iii
2.3. Development of Rope Making Machine...........................................................................v
2.3.1. Conventional Rope Making.......................................................................................v
2.3.2. Hand operated rope making......................................................................................vi
2.3.3. Modern Rope Making Technology..........................................................................vii
2.4. Classification of Rope....................................................................................................viii
2.4.1. Natural rope types..................................................................................................viii
2.4.2. Synthetic Rope Types...............................................................................................ix
2.5. Styles of Rope Construction.............................................................................................x
2.6. Mechanical Rope making machine..................................................................................xi
2.7. General Procedure of Machine Designing.......................................................................xi
2.8. Material and Equipment..................................................................................................xii
2.9. Factors to be considered while Designing Machine......................................................xiv
2.10. Step by Step Instruction..................................................................................................xv
CHΑPTER THREE........................................................................................................................iii
3. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY.................................................................................iii

VI
 3.1. Data Collection................................................................................................................iii
3.2. Machine Components Design and Force Analysis..........................................................iv
3.2.1. Design of Handle Shaft.............................................................................................iv
3.2.2. Selection of V-Belt and Pulley................................................................................vii
3.3. Manufacturing process...................................................................................................viii
CHΑPTER FOUR..........................................................................................................................iii
4. EXPERIMENTAL TEST RUN...............................................................................................iii

VII
List of Figures

Figure 2.1. Rope twisted by handle.........................................................................................................................6

Figure 2.2. Rope making by hand held spindle......................................................................................................6
Figure 2.3. Rope twisted by handle.........................................................................................................................6
Figure 2.4. Rope factory and spinning mill............................................................................................................7
Figure 2.5. Fiber rope..............................................................................................................................................7
Figure 2.6. Traditional rope making technology.....................................................................................................8
Figure 2. 7. Hand operated rope making.................................................................................................................9
Figure 2.8. Natural and synthetic rope..................................................................................................................10
Figure 2.9. Different style of rope construction....................................................................................................13
Figure 2.10. Cable laid rope structure...................................................................................................................13
Y
Figure 3.1. Hook design........................................................................................................................................22
Figure 3.2. Computer aided design (CΑD) of simple rope making machine.......................................................25
Figure 3.3. Materials component of machine part................................................................................................25

VIII
List of Tables
YTable 3.1. Human weight and height data..............................................................................................................
Table 3.2. Material and its specification...............................................................................................................20
Table 3.3. Mild steel physical properties..............................................................................................................20
Table 3.4. belt selection parameter........................................................................................................................24

IX
 CHAPER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Theoretical Background

A rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibers or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger
and stronger form. Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting, but
are too flexible to provide compressive strength. As a result, they cannot be used for pushing or
similar compressive applications. Rope is thicker and stronger than similarly constructed cord,
string, and twine. Ancient people twisted strips of hide, sinew, hair, vines, and plant fibers into
rope long before they learned to spin or weave. Rope making was a universal skill known in all
tribes and civilizations. Braided ropes were used in Asia before 4000 BC. Rope making was
commonplace. Every community of any size had its rope walk (places where ropes could be
made by laborers who "walked" out the twists in the strands). Rope was one of humankind’s
earliest tools. History records rope making as far back as 7,000 years ago, and is one of
America's oldest industries (J. Bohr, (2010).

The materials that people used to make rope varied and depended on the locality and use of the
rope. Rope has been made out of many things: hide, hair, plant fibers, tree bark, cotton wire, silk,
and simple vines to name just a few. Twisting or braiding strands of these materials together
made them stronger than single untwisted fibers. The first methods of rope making were similar
to weaving plant fibers into mats and baskets. Fibers are spun into twine, and twine is used to
make rope. The rope making operation is called "laying.” In laying, the twine is led from a block
(Paddle) for the desired length to the laying machine (rope maker) and back to the block. This is
repeated until the desired thickness is achieved. Rope was (and is) used to build, hoist, haul,
cross obstacles, support, tie, fish, hunt, snare food, fight, furnish, clothe and transport. Today
there are hundreds of different types of ropes for a great variety of uses.
Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting, but are too flexible to
provide compressive strength. As a result, they cannot be used for pushing or similar
compressive applications. Rope is thicker and stronger than similarly constructed cord, string,

1
and twine. Rope may be constructed of any long, stringy, fibrous material, but generally is
constructed of certain natural or synthetic fibers. Synthetic fiber ropes are significantly stronger
than their natural fiber counterparts, but also possess certain disadvantages, including
slipperiness. To fasten rope, many types of knots have been invented for countless uses. The ISO
2 standard uses the uppercase letters S and Z to indicate the two possible directions of twist, as
suggested by the direction of slant of the central portions of these two letters. Thus Z-twist rope
is said to be right-handed, and S-twist to be left-handed (J. Bohr, (2010).
Throughout history humans have develop several techniques to manufacture rope for paramount
importance in fields as diverse as construction, seafaring, exploration, sports, theatre,
communications, industrial application (packaging) and transportation. The ancient Egyptians
were probably the first civilization to develop special tools to make rope( Hearle and
John2018 ).In simple rope making machine the twist of the strands in a twisted rope serves not
only to keep a rope together, but enables the rope to more evenly distribute tension among the
individual strands. Without any twist in the rope, the shortest strand(s) would always be
supporting a much higher proportion of the total load. The yarns are twisted in the opposite
direction from the strands. These two opposing twisting forces act against each other. If the
forces are equal, the rope will hold together and not unravel. When the rope is dropped on the
ground it should lie in a straight line. Friction between the fibers stops them from sliding apart
when the rope is pulled (Small, Meredith F. (April 2002),
Types of Rope
i. Twisted Rope:-Also referred to as “Laid Rope”, twisted rope has a spiral look to it. It’s
made up of three strands that are continuously twisted together. It’s not the strongest rope
design out there, but it’s also not the weakest. If you’re going to buy twisted rope (or any
rope for that matter), make sure that it’s yellow. That way, it’s high visibility will ensure
that you don’t lose it. Note, these types of rope can be difficult to knot. This is something
to think about when shopping.
ii. Braided Ropes:-As their names imply, braided ropes are made by “braiding” together
different fiber strands. Hollow braided ropes are those that are made up of only a single
woven core. Braided ropes are durable and offer tons of abrasion resistance. Another
benefit to these rope types is that they’re resistant to chemicals. Specifically, at room
temperature, braided ropes will do a good job at resisting acids.

2
 iii. Climbing Ropes:-These rope types are designed for- you guessed it- climbing. They’re
made with a “Kern mantle Design” (basically, this means that they’re super-tough). And
rightfully so considering that people’s lives are on the line. Climbing ropes are
exceptionally resistant to abrasion. They are designed to stretch slightly when lifting
heavier loads. Why is this important? Well, if a climber abruptly halts, the slight stretch
in the rope will help prevent a spine injury. Here’s how to buy types of rope like this one.

1.2. Problem Statement

Ethiopian’s people who participate in Rope manufacturing from different materials by using
different techniques. Many of the manufacturing methods are conventional and not produce the
required rope quality. Due to this the existing rope manufacturing process has got some
drawbacks such as high risk of health problem due to body friction, poor quality of rope, low
production within high time consumption and do not perform their required function properly, on
the other hand there are some rope manufacturing techniques which produce high quality rope
but it is difficult to operate the machines due to the complicated design of the machines,
imperfect space utilization, high maintenance cost , in which all the mentioned reasons made the
machines more complex and expensive, and also the machines are not easily accessible. Hence,
this project work will take part to design simple hand driven rope manufacturing machine in
which this machine will simplify and solve all the above mentioned limitations at a possible
minimum time

1.3. Objectives

1.3.1. General Objective

 Design and manufacturing of simple mechanical rope producing machine
1.3.2. Specific Objective
 To design simple rope machine mechanical part
 To assemble and test run rope making machine
 To test selected quality parameters of the produced rope

1.4. Benefits and Beneficiaries

3
 1.4.1. Benefits
 Reduce rope manufacturing time because of mechanical driven machine
 It reduce using hand and leg body friction method of rope making, it’s safe to use because
have health problem
 The outcome of this work will motivate young entrepreneurs
1.4.2. Beneficiaries
 It will enhance for other researcher to develop of the machine
 The manufacturers of rope have get income
 Peoples who use rope in daily activities
 Entrepreneur who interested to manufacture rope

1.5. Significance

 To introduce simple rope making machine in local market

 To manufacture good quality rope and increasing production rate with short period of
time
 To minimize risk of health problems due to body friction

4
 CHΑPTER TWO

2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. INTRODUCTION

Ancient people twisted strips of hide, sinew, hair, vines, and plant fibers into rope long before
they learned to spin or weave. Rope making was a universal skill known in all tribes and
civilizations. Braided ropes were used in Asia before 4000 BC. Ropes were used to decorate
pottery in southeastern Europe in 3000 BC (P. Van de Griend (1996). The Mayas used rope to
move the large blocks of stone they needed for building their marvelous temples. The ancient
Egyptians developed rope making techniques in 2500 BC which are still in use today. Some
Native Americans chewed hide and sinew into strands that could be used for rope. Rope making
in ancient India was so unique that only a special class of people made ropes. Homer frequently
mentions rope in his Odyssey. The Romans even fabricated rope out of thin copper wire. In 14th
century England, the first guilds of rope makers were established. Medieval monks made ropes
to ring monastery bells and to use as belts. But it was the age of sailing ships that turned rope
making into a vital industry. Phoenician ships were held together by rope. Columbus had 15
miles of rope on his ship. Records indicate the Emperor of China had rope made from ladies’
hair. Hemp was planted along the watering holes of the western trails so that future pioneers
could harvest it. Pioneers carried a rope machine when they came west for this purpose (P. Van
de Griend 1996).

2.2. History of Rope Making

i. Prehistoric (Before writing)

There is evidence that ropes were made in prehistoric times from grasses and vines twisted
together. No tools were used; the fibers were twisted by hand. Ropes were used for moving
heavy objects like stones and logs [8].

5
 Figure 2.1. Rope twisted by handle

ii. Ancient Egyptian (2000BC)

Rope was made from reeds and fibers from papyrus plants. They spun the yarns together on a
hand held spindle. [8]

Figure 2.2. Rope making by hand held spindle

iii. Medieval (1100AD)

Rope making was common in Britain during Medieval times. Rope was made on a long
ropewalk so they could stretch out the yarns and make longer ropes.[8]
iv. Tudor (1500AD)
Rope making was made in people’s own homes by skilled workers and sold locally. The yarns
were attached to hooks turned by hand to twist them together.[8]

Figure 2.3. Rope twisted by handle

6
 v. Victorian (1850AD)
In the 1700s and 1800s, new inventions meant yarns could be spun by machine. Rope factories
and spinning mills were built.

Figure 2.4. Rope factory and spinning mill

vi. Twentieth Century onwards (1950AD)

Fibers can be made from new synthetic materials like nylon and polyester. These fibers make
rope that is cheaper and stronger than natural materials. It can also be easily dyed a variety of
colors. Rope is mainly made by machine [8].

7
 Figure 2.5. Fiber rope

2.1. Development of Rope Making Machine

2.1.1. Conventional Rope Making

Leonardo da Vinci drew: - sketches of a concept for a rope making machine, but it were never
built. Nevertheless, remarkable feats of construction were accomplished without advanced
technology: In 1586, Domenico Fontana erected the 327 ton obelisk on Rome's Saint Peter's
Square with a concerted effort of 900 men, 75 horses, and countless pulleys and meters of rope.
By the late 18th century several working machines had been built and patented[12].

Figure 2.6. Traditional rope making technology

2.1.2. Hand operated rope making

Meyer Rope Machine Replica: - A reproduction of the Martin Meyer (patent of 1924) four strand
hook rope machine. This machine is non-geared. The strand hook and attached arms are cast in
aluminum versus the original steel. The arms are set about three inches apart in the hardwood
frame. This machine can be used for making three or four strand rope.
This unit is non-geared, so one turn of the handle is one turn of the strand hooks. So the turning
becomes more controlled, and the yarns (string, twine, etc) forming the strands are less like to
jump around as with the Bucklin (patented 1901) geared rope machine. (Price also less than half

8
that of a good quality Bucklin).All rope machines of the early 1900s vintage need to be attached
to a table, sawhorse, or column for operation. For this reproduction Meyer machine, I use a
specific purpose sawhorse that I put ballast on a shelf in the bottom section. Suggestions are
included with the kit instructions about attaching the machine to a base. When working on slick
floors, the sawhorse may need 60pounds of ballast when making ropes 3/4th inch or larger in
diameter, to keep the sawhorse from being drug across the floor while making rope, else set the
sawhorse on a rubber mat. Working on driveways or yards, the ballast requirement drops
significantly, because of the increased surface friction [12].
Davis design work: - Making Rope with Hand Operated Machines. This book explains the
process for making common lay three or four strand twist rope with a hand operated rope
machine. Different style rope machines are described, along with the rope tool, and traveler hook
needed to make a working set up for making a rope. Separate chapters are now devoted to the
rope tool, and traveler options. Other chapters focus on design considerations for the rope and
how to form
it. New
material
has been
added to
the chapter
detailing
how to lay up
the yarn
(string,
twine,
Figure 2. 7. Hand operated rope making
etc.) to form
the strands of the rope. The layup process has been extended to detail how to incorporate a ring
or link into the end of the rope during the layup process. [10]

9
Rope made by hand can be constructed to your exact specifications. Plus, its fun making rope as
it was made in the early 1900s. Our rope making machine makes 3- or 4-strand rope. Comes with
wooden tool and swivel pulley assembly for use as followed (you supply ballast).
3/4" hardwood with oil finish, sand-cast aluminum hooks
Base of rope machine can be secured with bolts (drill holes where needed) or clamps
 8"Hx15 3/4" Lx4 5/8"W
 3 lb.
 Handmade in the USA
2.1.3. Modern Rope Making Technology

MT44-20Rope making machine:- 3-10 mm Combined stander and rope layer For production
of finished coiled rope from natural and synthetic fiber, yarns Produces coils from 440 to 4,890
m Three-strand and four-strand models from start to finish in one continuous operation Very
high production speed extremely high output. This is how you can make a geared rope making
machine. You will need basic woodworking skills. Tools required: scroll saw, hand drill, circular
saw and wrench set at the minimum. A handsaw, table saw, drill press, circular sander all make
this a lot easier. The ultimate would be a CNC router [11]

2.2. Classification of Rope

The rope is an essential item in our lives. Whether we use it to keep things from falling apart or
we have more specific purposes, such as climbing, the rope can come in hand in a multitude of
situations. The presence of a good type of rope in your survival kit could literally save your life

10
because it can be used for multiple purposes. For a review of the best climbing rope for
your needs. However, some rope types made of natural fibers are preferred by landscapers or
cowboys. When it comes to a rope made of synthetic fibers, the array of usage expands
considerably. No longer needed to drag rocks from one side to the other, natural rope is less
expensive than synthetic rope[2].

Figure 2.8. Natural and synthetic rope

2.2.1. Natural rope types

i. Sisal rope:-This rope’s name comes from the plant it’s made of, namely Agave sisalana.
It is much appreciated because it costs next to nothing, but it has the tendency to become
coarse and relatively bulky. Other than that, it is stiff, strong, and durable and it has the
capacity to resist deterioration in salted water. However, chemicals and moisture shorten
its lifespan.
ii. Baling twine: - This is sisal, but it has a much smaller diameter. It is good for tying up
hay bales and attaching materials to blinds. It is quite resistant as well, breaking at 350
pounds. Its fibers cannot be used separately.
iii. Manila rope: - A rope made of hemp, Manila rope is considered high quality, but among
its usages are mostly landscaping and other decorative purposes. Also good for stage
rigging, manila rope is reliable because of its moisture-absorbing properties. It isn’t
resistant to water or under the direct light of UV rays.

11
2.2.1.1. Characteristics of natural rope

Natural ropes were first invented and used around 4000 BC by the Egyptians. Among the
materials used by them to make rope were hair, grass and leather. The Chinese followed them by
creating the rope made of hemp during 3000 BC. Rope producers didn’t give up on hemp, using
it along with cotton, linen, manila, silk and sisal. However, some of these plant-based materials
are more popular than the others because they offer increased strength and have water-repellent
properties. As general recommendations, natural ropes could make excellent decorative details
and they could be used for climbing. They are known to be heavier than synthetic fibers, so no
one is too happy to carry them around. Besides that, their resistance in time is low because they
are affected by humidity, UV rays and others similar environmental factors, being prone to
rotting and hardening. They are mainly used by sailors, farm keepers, landscapers and sometimes
by climbers [2].
2.2.2. Synthetic Rope Types

i. Nylon: - Rope made of nylon is most appreciated because it is very stretchy. It absorbs a
lot of energy, fact which makes it dangerous if it breaks. Other than that, it has excellent
strength and it is not affected by UV light, chemicals or any type of rot. Commonly found
in mooring lines, it is great for sailors too!
ii. Kevlar rope:-Invented in 1965, the Kevlar rope is stronger than steel. Moreover, it does
not stretch at all, so it’s the opposite of nylon. It doesn’t rust, it is flame resistant, but it’s
not too friendly when it comes to the old UV rays. While it is not completely immune to
damage, it is still remarkable
iii. Polypropylene rope:-Made of a synthetic material called polypropylene, this rope type is
perfect for water. It does not deteriorate in water, so it serves as a swimming-lane barrier
or for various activities of fishermen. Since it is not provided with stretch memory, it
means that once stretched, it does not come back to its initial shape. Among its defects is
its susceptibility to friction.
iv. Polyester rope:- This rope type is a good choice in case too much stretching is not
desired. More expensive than nylon rope, polyester rope has more strength and is more
expensive too. Lifting slings works great with rope like this because it is highly resistant
to abrasion, the harmful UV lights, as well as heat.

12
Characteristics of synthetic rope
The synthetic rope was first manufactured with very specific characteristics in mind. It is usually
made using materials like nylon and polyester, but also, proprietary materials like Kevlar is.
Depending on its type, synthetic rope may be waterproof; it could float and stretch unimaginably
much.

2.3. Styles of Rope Construction

Hawser laid rope:-Three strands twisted into rope.

Shroud laid rope:-Four strands twisted round a thinner rope running through the centre.

Cable laid rope:-Nine strand rope made from three hawser ropes twisted together

Spliced rope:-The strand ends are woven back in to the rope using a fid to make a loop at the
end.

Braided rope:-Rope is made on a cross laying machine. The strands are woven together like
plaiting.

Figure 2.9. Different style of rope construction

13
2.4. Mechanical Rope making machine

Making rope with a hand operated Rope machine. Rope machine typically come in three or four
strand book verities, made of various amounts of wood and metal. Some of the machines are all
metal and have gears to rotate the strand several times per rotation of the hand crank. They all
perform the same task- twist fibers in to strands that get twisted in to a rope. The rope machine
must be mounted to something table.[15]

Figure 2.10. Cable laid rope structure

2.5. General Procedure of Machine Designing

In designing a machine component, there is no rigid rule. The problem may be attempted in
several ways. However, the general procedure to solve a design problem is as follow

1. Recognition of need:- First of all, make a complete statement of the problem, indicating
the need, aim or purpose for which the machine is to be designed.
2. Synthesis (mechanism):- Select the possible mechanisms which will give the desired
motion.
3. Analysis of forces:- Determine the force acting on each member of the machine and the
energy transmitted by each member.

14
 4. Material selection:- Select the material best suited for each member of the machine.
5. Design of element (size of stresses):-Find the size of each member of the machine by
considering the force acting on the member and the permissible stresses for the material
used.
6. Modification:-Modify the size of the member to agree with the past experience.
7. Detailed drawing: - Draw the detailed drawing of each component and the assembly of
the machine with complete specification for the manufacturing processes suggested.
8. Production:- The component, as per drawing, is manufactured in the workshop. The
flow chart for the general procedure in machine design.

2.6. Material and Equipment

Pulley:-a wheel that usually has a groove around the outside edge. This groove is for a rope or
belt to move around the pulley.
Belt: - drive with idler or jockey pulley drive Shafts arranged parallel with many idler pulleys.
It is desirable to transmit motion from one shaft to several shafts. This type of drive is provided
to obtain high velocity ratio. The belt drives primarily operate on the friction principle. the
friction between the belt and the pulley is responsible for transmitting power from one
pulley to the other . In other words the driving pulley will give a motion to the belt and
the motion of the belt will be transmitted to the driven pulley .Belts, ropes, chains, and other
similar elastic or flexible machine elements are used, in conveying systems Transportation of
coal, mineral ores etc. over a long distance in the transmission of power Mainly used for
running of various industrial appliances using prime movers like electric motors, I.C.
Engine etc. as a replacement for gears, shafts, bearings, and other relatively rigid power-
transmission devices.
The amount of power transmitted depends upon the following factors:-
 The velocity of the belt.
 The tension under which the belt is placed on the pulleys.
 The arc of contact between the belt and the smaller pulley.
 The conditions under which the belt is used
Types of Belt
The four principal types of belts are:-

15
 i. Flat belt: Moderate amount of power is transmitted and the two pulleys are not more than
8metres apart.
ii. V-belt: Great amount of power is transmitted and the two pulleys are very near to each
other.
iii. Circular belt: Great amount of power is transmitted and the two pulleys are more than 8
metres apart.
iv. Timing belts: Teeth formed on the belt match the grooves on the pulleys and acting
almost like a chain running on sprockets.
Shaft: A shaft is a rotating machine element, which is used to transmit power from one place to
another. In order to transfer the power from one shaft to another, the revolving parts of a machine
or various members such as pulleys, gears, flywheels ..., are mounted on it. The various members
are mounted on the shaft by means of keys or spline.
The power is delivered to the shaft set up within the shaft, Permits the power to be transferred to
various machines linked up to the shaft. By some tangential force and the resultant torque
(twisting moment).In other words, we may say that a shaft is used for the transmission of torque
and bending moment.
The shafts Are usually cylindrical but may be square in cross-sectional shape. Are also solid in
cross-section but sometimes hollow shafts are used.
 The presence of cyclic over loads
 Maximum stress concentration in a point
 Due to production or operation cause (under cut, machining traces, knotches)
 Due to the presence of fillets, keyways, drilled holes
 Wrong adjustment of bearings, insufficient clearance
 Shafts may also fail due to traverse or tortional vibrations
Screw: an inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder to form a spiral. Screws help to pull one
thing to another. You may use a metal screw to put two pieces of wood together.
Wheel and crank: Some things might have a handle that turns a wheel. The handle is called a
crank.
Ball bearing:-Bearing is machine part which helps the rotation of motion become friction less
and smooth there are many types of bearing and we select bell bearing type in our thesis work.
Stationary hook: you can use bent coat hanger or an s-hook tied to chair anything to which

16
you can hook one end of the strands you will be working with.
Tension hook: - you can use a bent coat hanger or a bungee cord-anything that you can hook
onto a table or chair leg that will keep the strands under tension after being twisted and which
won’t itself twist
Electric drills (screwdriver): to drill and fix the screw
Hook for the drill: a hook that you can attach to the drill.” I use a cup hook” use any thing that
can be secured appropriately
Grinding machine: used to cut the wood and metal part of the machine

2.7. Factors to be considered while Designing Machine

When the designer design elements of the machine or the complete the machine, they have to
consider several important parameters. Here are some of the important factors to be considered
while doing machine design.

i. Cost:-cost has always been the major factor of consideration while designing the machine
elements or machine and in this age of computation it has became more important. The
best machine design is the one which helps get the finished product with all the major
functionalities and highest possible quality at the lost possible cost.
ii. High output and efficiency:-Earlier machines used to be very heavy and consume lots of
power. Now the trend is fully functional machines consuming low power and giving high
output in terms of the number of products manufactured.
iii. Strength: - The machine elements or the machine should be strong enough to sustain all
the apple forces. it is designed for resist damage or permanently deformed during its life
time.
iv. Stiffness or rigidity:-the machine should be rigid enough so that under the effect of
applied forces for which it is designed there is no deformation of the machine or machine
elements beyond the specified limits.
v. Wear resistance:-wear is the removal of the material from the metallic surface when two
surfaces rub with each other. If there is more removal of the material, the component will
become weaker and eventually break. It can be reduced by adding lubricant and by
proper fitting of machine elements

17
 vi. Ease of assemble:-the elements of the machine should be such that can be assembled
very easily
vii. Easy and simplicity of servicing and control:-the machine and its elements should be
simple enough so that very minor maintenance and servicing is required.
viii. Light weight and minimum dimensions:-the machine elements and machine should be
strong, rigid and wear resistance with minimum weight and small dimension. This can be
achieved by using light weight wood products
ix. Durability:-the longer the life of the machine it develops the reputation of being the
dependable machine to be sold. Hence designing the right reliability and durability
should be given priority. For this the machine should be designed for least maintenance
requirements and long life.
x. Use of standard parts:-there should be maximum possible standard parts in the design
of the machine. This will help reduce the cost of the machine and ensure easy availability
of the parts. With the standard parts they design can be modified easily.
xi. Use easily available materials:-material selected for the machine elements during the
design should be available easily and lost possible cost.
xii. Appearance of the machine:-while designing the machine aesthetics and ergonomics of
the machine should be given due consideration without affecting its functionality.

2.8. Step by Step Instruction

1. The stationary hook to something that won’t move when the strands are under tension
2. Attach the tension hook to something that won’t move when the strands are under tension
the distance between the two hooks should be slightly less than the length of your strands.
3. Cut your strands to the required length when creating lightly twisted ropes, the length the
rope might 20% less than the strand.
4. Tie one end of each strand to the stationary hook (if you are using loops of your material
rather than a single strand, hook the knotted end of the loop to the stationary hook)
5. Tie a loop in the other end of the strands. You could also tie the strands to rings or hooks
you hook on the other hooks

18
6. Layout the strands. Stretch the strands out and arrange them so that their free ends are
within rich of the tension hook. Make sure that they are not twisted around one another.
7. Twist the strands. Hook the strand on to the handle crank. Wind the crank clockwise until
you first notice that you need to move the handle a bit closer to the stationary hook.
Keeping the strand under tension unhooked it from the handle hook and hooks it on to the
tension hook.
8. Tie off the ends. The end of the rope need to be protected from unraveling. You can tie of
the ends or wrap the ends with duct tap can whip the ends.
9. Finishing if the rope has a tendency to twist on itself immerse the rope in water and soap
(which is also a good idea in order to remove any chemicals used in the materials
manufacture that may problematic for bubbling). Wring the rope out. Stretch it out and
keep it under tension, hold the rope by one end and the other end dangle. Pinch the upper
end of the rope between your thumb and a finger run it down the length of the rope. You
may want to stretch, dangle and pinch the rope a few times. Know; bring the end of the
rope together.

INTRODUCTION
Industrial (or technical) textiles are defined as
“textile materials and products intended for enduses other than clothing, household, furnishing
and floorcovering, where the fabric or fibrous component is selected principally (but not exclusively)
for its performance and properties as opposed to its
aesthetic or decorative characteristics.”1 Industrial
textiles may thus include those applied in agricultural areas such as gardening and landscaping, forestry,
and animal husbandry; in building or construction areas such as membranes, materials for
lightweight and solid constructions; in geotech areas for road and dam construction, soil sealing, and
drainage systems; in other industrial areas for filtration, sealers, and insulation applications; in the
medical area for hygiene and protection purposes;
and in the mobile industry and sports areas.2 The
scope of this article will only deal with the industrial twisted fibrous structures which include yarns,
cords, and ropes.
The main advantages of using twisted fibrous
structures are for their strength, weight, flexibility, and elastic behavior; with regard to the latter,
“when flax is twisted to form a cord, it exhibits
maximum axial stiffness and minimum bending

19
stiffness.”3
The major differences between industrial
yarns, cords, and ropes, and yarns for clothing
Correspondence to: N. Pan.
Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 83, 610–630 (2002)
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

610
purposes lies in the requirement in durability,
load-carrying capacity, and other physical, chemical, or service-related properties. Another distinction is
that the majority of modern industrial

yarns are often made of filament instead of staple

fibers.
The mechanics of twisted fibrous structures is
such a classic topic in textile science that there
have been several books or monographs devoted
to it.4–8 It is therefore not our purpose to provide
all the detailed treatment on related topics.
Rather, we list the major important issues and
contributors in the area, the current status of the
fields, and more importantly, stress, whenever
possible, the issues or problems that have yet to
be solved.
APPLICATIONS OF INDUSTRIAL YARNS
Industrial twisted fibrous structures are mainly
applied to load-carrying situations, and the applications can be classified into four different categories 9:
c Fastening operations: subjected to steady
and/or cyclic loading; for instance, buoy
moorings
c Transporting operations: subjected to a dynamic loading superimposed on a static tension—most marine
applications such as towing vessels
c Lifting operations: subjected to a small number of dynamic cycles imposed on a steady

20
loading, such as mounting climbing
c Impact operations: subjected to a falling object; impact energy must be absorbed without
failure. Safety rope is an example.
In view of the nature of the applications, it is
understandable that the mechanical durability
and environmental attack resistance are the
prime requirements for the performance of these
materials.
MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
Of all the twisted fibrous structures for industrial
applications, ropes are probably the most complex
in terms of structural compositions and application scenarios. Because ropes contain all forms of
industrial twisted structures, in this article, they
will be dealt with principally.
Materials
Marine ropes are composed of millions of individual fibers twisted and combined into many levels
of substructures such as yarn, plied yarn, rope
yarn, and strand (Fig. 1). The levels of structure
are dependent on the complexity of the rope geometry. However, in principle, at least three levels can be
identified, i.e., fiber, yarn, and strand.
In natural fibers, manila and cotton are common materials for rope, and in synthetic materials, nylon,
polyester, polypropylene, and recently,
Aramid (Kevlart) fibers are all good candidates as
rope-making fibers.11 Table I provides more detailed information about the specifications of
ropes made of different fiber types.
Single Yarns and Helix Model
As mentioned above, the fibers in a rope are
twisted to various degrees to maintain the structural integrity, among other things. For filament
yarns, the fiber arrangement in the structure is
closer to the so-called idealized helical structures
according to the description of Hearle et al5: “The
yarn is assumed to be circular in cross section,
and composed of a series of concentric cylinders of
differing radii. Each fiber follows a uniform helical path around the concentric cylinders, so that
its distance from the yarn axis remains constant.
A fiber at the center will follow the straight line of
the yarn axis; but, going out from the center, the

21
helix angle gradually increases, since the number
of turns of twist per unit length remains constant
in all the layers. The density of packing of fibers
in the yarn remains constant throughout the
model; and the structure is assumed to be made of
Figure 1 A rope structure.10
PROPERTIES OF TWISTED STRUCTURES. II 611

a very large number of filaments, so that various

complicating effects, which are due to the special
ways of packing a limited number of fibers together, do not arise.”
Plied Yarns
A plied yarn is formed by twisting together two or
more single yarns, which is similar in many geometric aspects to the twisting of two or more
filaments to form a single yarn. Instead of the
fiber following the helical path, it is now the single individual yarn axis that lies along the helix.
Twisted Rope Structure
Ropes are formed by several strands each consisting of several plied yarns. For a twisted rope, the
twisting direction in different structural levels
must alternate between Z and S twisting to
achieve a balanced structure.
Braided Rope Structure
Besides twisted ropes, another method of making
rope is by using plaiting or braiding. This is a
modified form of weaving yarns into a tubular
form. The structure of braided rope is more stable
than the twisted one; therefore, thicker and stronger ropes can be made this way. Also, by braiding
the structure into a balanced structure, it “possesses the advantage that no torque is induced in
rope stretched by virtue of the axially symmetric
structure of the rope.”13
Fiber Migration
The requirement of filament continuity and the
practicality of equivalent filament feed rates into
the twisting zone necessitate the interchange of
filaments between coaxial helical rings, so that
there will be a periodical change of radial location
for each filament, which is termed migration.
As a result of both twisting and fiber migration,

22
the path of a fiber orientation in a rope becomes
rather complex; the geometry of double-braided
rope was considered representable with a sinusoidal undulation superposed on a circular helix.14
TENSILE BEHAVIOR OF THE STRUCTURES
Twisted fiber structures have a unique strengthgenerating mechanism; the force that is breaking
the structure is at the same time strengthening it.
So the prediction of yarn tensile behavior is a
complicated issue, and many factors and effects
have to be con

23
 CHΑPTER THREE

3. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY

3.1. Data Collection

Data Collection is made based on primary and secondary data in which the primary data is
obtained from people who are currently made rope using their hands and secondary data is also
obtained by reviewing published and unpublished papers on hand operated rope making
machines and related documents to the topic.

To design machine and tools, which should be designed, constructed and shaped, thus respecting
human anatomical, physiological, psychological characteristics that is capability and limitations.
Ergonomics is interdisciplinary scientific approach to problems of adjusting work to humans,
aiming to increase productivity, i.e. work efficiency, work safety and humanization of human
labor. The following data describes ergonomics of human height and weight to determine the
machine dimension. Measure the height up to waist level.
Table 3.1. Human weight and height data

Number Name Waist level Height(in cm) Weight(kg)

1 Yalemzewd 130 69
2 Biname 127 69
3 Ato ayele 125 56
4 Ato aragaw 122 59
5 Desealegn 118 58
6 w/o mekides 116 55
7 Selam 120 60

24
Machine up to the ground will 122.5 cm and for the handle in which working manually average
of one mass will be 60.
Table 3.2. Material and its specification

Materials Specification
Handle crank Ø 25 mm
Wood plank sheet 400mm*400mm, thickness=50mm
Ball bearing Ø 25 mm
Pulley Internal Ø =30mm
Hook Length 50mm
Shaft Ø 25 mm
v-belt L=50cm, thickness=50mm
Different Internal Ø=20mm&10mm
washer
Fastener Ø=10mm,length 8cm
Bolt Ø=5mm
Hex nut Internal Ø=6mm

3.2. Machine Components Design and Force Analysis

3.2.1. Design of Handle Shaft

A shaft is a rotating machine element, which is used to transmit power from one place to another.
Shear stresses:-due to the transmission of torque (tensional load).
Bending stresses: - Due to the forces acting upon machine elements, Like gears, pulleys etc. as
well as due to the weight of the shaft itself. It may be tensile or compressive stresses.
Table 3.3. Mild steel physical properties

Part Material Tensile Bending stress Young’s

stress modules
Handle Mild 420 Mpa 380 Mpa 205Gpa
shaft steel

The cross section area of the handle shaft

Ø =25=r=12.5mm

25
 A=π r 2
=3.14*12.52
=
490mm2
Assume the handle is working manually and take the average of one man mass that is 60kg
W= mg=60*9.81
=588.6N
Since shear stress is
T=F/A
588.6/490mm2
1.2Mpa it is much less than that 420 Mpa so the design is safe
Bending stress
T=M/I*Y=Y*E/R since where M=bending moment acting on the given section
T=Bending stress
Y=Distance from neutral
I= momentum of inertia
E=Young’s modules
R=Radius of curvature
I = pi∗d 4 /64
=3.14*(25)4 /64
=19174mm^4
Y=d/2=25/2=12.5mm
F=588.6N and d=300mm=shaft length
M=F*d
M=588.6N*300mm
=176580Nmm
T=M/I*Y= (176580/19174)*12.5
=115Mpa (design value)
Since 115Mpa is less than 380Mpa the design is safe

26
 Design of hook

Figure 3.1. Hook design

Assume yarn force W=2KN

Ri=30mm
Ro=35mm
h=5mm
b=5mm
Martial selection for hook
Mild steel is the row material we use in our project since it is available in local market
Area of section x-x
A=b*h
=5mm*5mm=25mm^2
Radius of curvature of Neutral axis, R=h/log (Ro/Ri)
=5/log(35/30)
=74.7mm
Radius of curvature of censorial axis, R =Ri+h/2
=30+5/2=32.5mm
Therefore distance between censorial axis and neutral axis
e= R-Rn=32.5-74.7

27
 =42.2mm
Distance between the load and censorial axis
X=R=32.5MM
Therefore bending moment about censorial axis
M=W*X
=2*10^5=
The section at x-x is subjected to a direct tensile load of
W=2KN and a binding moment of M=1*10*6N-mm
We know that direct tensile stress at section x-x
t=W/A=2*10*3/25
=80Mpa (design tensile strength)
Since 80Mpa <420Mpa the hook design is safe
Bending modulus will be
b=M/I*Y
M=bending moment
I=moment of inertia
Y=distance from natural axis
Ixx=Iyy=b^4/12
I=140mm^4
Y=5/2=2.5mm
b (=0.01*10^6Nmm)/104mm^4*2.5
=240.4N/mm^2 is design value is less than 380Mpa so the design is safe.
3.2.2. Selection of V-Belt and Pulley

In our case V-belt selected, Great amount of power is transmitted and the pulleys are
very near to each other.Since the machine works manually it does not need more design

calculation for v-belt and pulley it should be selected from standard table by considering
the machine set up.

28
Table 3.4. belt selection parameter

Type of v-belt Power range Pitch diameter of Tope Thickness(mm)

in KW pulley width(mm)
A 0.7-3.5 75 13 8
B 2-15 125 17 11
C 7.5-75 200 22 14
D 20-150 355 32 19
E 30-350 500 38 23

 Ref. machine design khurmigupta page 728, table20.2

The design belt we select is type A due to its diameter, width and thickness.
The pulley also leads by the dimension of v-belt and the shaft

3.3. Manufacturing process

Sketch the design of the machine

Design the machine parts

Select the material

Assembling all components

Experimental test run

29
Figure 3.2. Computer aided design (CΑD) of simple rope making machine

Figure 3.3. Materials component of machine part.

30
 CHΑPTER FOUR
EXPERIMENTAL TEST RUN

The raw output of the mechanical rope making machine is rope of different strand of fibers,
threads and ply yarns. The designed mechanical rope making machine can twist the strand in
both Z and S twist directions as required. The machine can spun different counts of strand of
different type of fibers. As a result, it is believed that implementation of this rope making
machine will improve the method of work, increase local rope production rate and opportunity
for local rope manufacturer. It will also help to create awareness for them to focus their
technological potential to identify the drawback and to propose improvement needed on the
machine they owe.
This simple mechanical rope making machine is driven by handle operating system and the force
transmit in belt to the driven pulleys. Crank handle redirect the pulling force to another direction,
and can create mechanical advantage so that multiple strands of rope share a load and multiply
the force applied to the end. Twisted ropes are built up in two steps. A number of these yarns
are then formed into strands by twisting. The strands are then twisted together to lay the rope.
The twist of the yarn is opposite to that of the strand, and that in turn is opposite to that of the
rope. It is this counter-twist, introduced with each successive operation, which holds the final
rope together as a stable, unified object. Spinier which keep the twisting strands apart or the
fibers will grab each other and tangle, once the strands are wound up enough they will begin to
twist together. The production capacity is high compared to conventional method of production
can be produce 15 number of rope which have length of three meter per in one hour. When the
length of rope increase the required number of twist insertion is high due to this, the production
rate decrease.

31
32
33
 REFERENCE

1. J. Bohr and K. Olsen (2010). "The ancient art of laying rope".1004.0814 Freely

accessible. Doi:10.1209/0295-5075/93/60004.
2. Hearle and John(2018)Handbook of Fiber Rope Technology, Last edited on 16 January
2018, at 05:49
3. Small, Meredith F. (April 2002), "String theory: the tradition of spinning raw fibers
dates back 28,000 years. (At The Museum).", Natural History, 111.3: 14(2)
4. P. Van de Griend (1996).The History and Science of Knots (Singapore: World Scientific,
1996), 14.
5. ^ (See http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Rope.html, word-for-word not sure which
"plagiarized" which)
6. William harshen Charlton, junior, Rope and the art of knot-tying in the seafaring of the
ancient eastern Mediterranean, August 1996
7. Wilkinson, J.Gardner, the Ancient Egyptians their life and customs vol.2 senate reprint
1994 first edition 1854
8. Investigating the process of rope making and the materials usedKS2 Theme 2 Science
and Technology
9. Smith, W. Stevenson, 1978, a history of Egyptian sculpture and paniting in the old
kingdom. Hacker art books, New York
10. American Telephone and Telegraph Company (1931). Use, Care, and Maintenance of
Manila Rope and Blocks.
11. Plymouth Cordage Company, 1931. The Story of Rope; The History and the Modern
Development of Rope-Making, Plymouth Cordage Company, North Plymouth,
Massachusetts
12. Sanctuary, Anthony, 1996. Rope, Twine and Net Making, Shire Publications Ltd.,
Cromwell House, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire.
13. Schubert, Pit. Sicherheit und Risiko in Fels und Eis, Munich, 1998
14. Smith, Bruce & Padgett, Allen, 1996. On Rope. North American Vertical Rope
Techniques, National Speleological Society, Huntsville, Alabama.
15. Strunk, P.; Abels, J. Das große Abenteuer 2.Teil, Verlag Karl Wenzel, Marburg, 1986.

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35