Sprocket product attributes

A roller chain sprocket has to match its chain before anything else. Chain size, standard and strand count decide the tooth form, and chains that share a pitch but come from different standards can have different roller diameters and widths. Supplier files often list only a size number and tooth count, leaving it unclear whether the sprocket is for ANSI chain, British-standard chain or double-pitch chain.

Mounting is the second half of the record. The same tooth count can be supplied as a plain-bore stock sprocket for reboring, a finished-bore part with keyway and setscrews, or a bushed design that takes a tapered or QD bushing. Hub style and length through bore affect shaft fit and alignment. These details are often compressed into part number suffixes.

Buyers also need to know what the part can be adapted to. Maximum bore limits reboring, hardened teeth extend life on small, fast sprockets, and material choices cover corrosion or food environments. Computed geometry such as pitch and outside diameter helps with clearance checks. A structured record keeps these facts explicit so the right sprocket leaves the shelf the first time.

The sprockets attribute template

18 candidate fields in 5 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 9 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Manufacturer Part Number manufacturer_part_number	Identifier	Core	SP-60B15-1000
GTIN / UPC gtin_upc	Identifier	Channel / evidence	081234560157

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Chain Pitch chain_pitch	Number · in	Core	0.750 in
Maximum Bore Diameter maximum_bore_diameter	Number · in	Buyer decision	1.25 in
Pitch Diameter pitch_diameter	Number · in	Buyer decision	3.607 in
Outside Diameter outside_diameter	Number · in	Buyer decision	3.98 in

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Number of Teeth number_of_teeth	Number	Core	15
Hub Style hub_style	Controlled list	Core	Type B (hub one side)
Bore Type bore_type	Controlled list	Core	Finished bore with keyway and setscrews
Material material	Controlled list	Core	1045 carbon steel
Hardened Teeth hardened_teeth	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Yes

Fit & compatibility

What the item mounts to, mates with, replaces or works alongside.

Check before use: Keep model and series qualifiers. A similar-looking part is not a verified fit until a source says so.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Chain Size industry_chain_size	Controlled list	Core	ANSI 60
Number of Strands number_of_strands	Controlled list	Core	Simplex (1 strand)
Bore Diameter bore_diameter	Number · in	Core	1.000 in
Bushing Type & Size bushing_type_size	Controlled list	Buyer decision	QD, size SK
Keyway & Setscrew keyway_setscrew_spec	Text	Buyer decision	1/4 x 1/8 in keyway; two setscrews

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Governing Standard governing_standard	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	ASME B29.1
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	United States

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• Length through bore (LTB)
• Minimum plain bore / maximum bore
• Hardened teeth flag
• Bushing type and size
• Chain standard (ANSI vs ISO B-series vs double-pitch)

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing sprockets ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Does this sprocket take a QD bushing, or will I have to bore it to my shaft?
• Is it cut for ANSI 60 chain or for metric 12B chain?
• Are the teeth hardened for a small sprocket on a fast drive?
• What is the largest bore this hub can be machined to?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

FAQ