Straight-plate chain, for surfaces that slide
Standard roller chain with straight, full-depth side bars in place of the waisted plates: a flat, snag-free edge for product, guides and wear strips to run against. Same pitch, same rollers, same sprockets as the standard chain.
GL on BS sizes, F on ANSI
On the British Standard range the straight-plate version carries a GL suffix: 08BGL, 10BGL, up to 24BGL. On the ANSI range it is the F series: 40F to 100F. Either way it is the standard chain of that size with the plates swapped: everything that engages the sprocket is unchanged, so it drops onto the drive you already have.
Where it earns its keep: packaging lines where cartons or guides ride on the chain, carrier and push-bar duties where the chain doubles as the running surface, and anywhere a waisted plate edge would snag or chatter against a wear strip.
Same pitch, roller and pin: the two versions differ only in plate height, so you can match the running height your machine was designed around. Not sure which you have? Measure the plate, or send a photo.
BS/DIN straight link plate chain
Catalogue dimensions. Strengths are the manufacturer's average ultimate strength, not ISO minimum breaking loads; see the FAQ before sizing a drive on them.
| Chain | Pitch (mm) | Inner width (mm) | Roller Ø (mm) | Plate height (mm) | Pin Ø (mm) | Avg ult. strength kgf | Weight (kg/m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06B | 9.525 | 5.72 | 6.35 | 8.10 | 3.28 | 1,050 | 0.39 |
| 08BGL | 12.70 | 7.75 | 8.51 | 11.80 | 4.44 | 1,850 | 0.75 |
| 10BGL | 15.875 | 9.65 | 10.16 | 14.60 | 5.06 | 2,700 | 1.00 |
| 12BGL | 19.05 | 11.68 | 12.07 | 16.00 | 5.67 | 3,300 | 1.29 |
| 16BGL-21 | 25.40 | 17.02 | 15.88 | 21.00 | 8.27 | 7,800 | 2.70 |
| 16BGL-24 | 25.40 | 17.02 | 15.88 | 24.00 | 8.27 | 7,800 | 3.30 |
| 20BGL | 31.75 | 19.55 | 19.05 | 26.00 | 10.18 | 10,500 | 4.25 |
| 24BGL | 38.10 | 25.40 | 25.40 | 33.00 | 14.62 | 17,700 | 8.20 |
ANSI straight link plate chain (F series)
| Chain | Pitch (mm) | Inner width (mm) | Roller Ø (mm) | Plate height (mm) | Pin Ø (mm) | Avg ult. strength kgf | Weight (kg/m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40F | 12.70 | 7.95 | 7.92 | 12.00 | 3.96 | 1,850 | 0.65 |
| 50F | 15.875 | 9.53 | 10.16 | 15.00 | 5.06 | 3,100 | 1.03 |
| 60F | 19.05 | 12.70 | 11.91 | 18.10 | 5.95 | 4,400 | 1.46 |
| 80F | 25.40 | 15.88 | 15.88 | 24.00 | 7.94 | 8,000 | 2.44 |
| 100F | 31.75 | 19.05 | 19.05 | 28.90 | 9.52 | 12,000 | 4.31 |
The 06B size is listed in the catalogue's straight-plate range without a GL suffix. Cut to your pitch count with connecting links fitted, like every chain we supply; see how chain is supplied and joined.
Held in UK stock in Malvern: 08BGL (steel and stainless steel), 12BGL, 16BGL-21 and 20BGL, 10BGL in duplex, and ANSI 40F and 60F, cut to your length with connecting links fitted. Other sizes, including 16BGL-24 and the larger BS and ANSI sizes, supplied to order — contact us for current lead time.
Stainless steel and self-lube versions
08B-1GL is available in steel and stainless steel for washdown and food-adjacent lines, and the NSL self-lube range includes straight-link-plate versions where the line can't be re-oiled. Sprockets are supplied machined to our specification to run with the chain.
Look along the chain: waisted plates dip between the pins, straight plates run flat. Pitch, roller diameter and the plate marking do the rest: the identification guide shows the three measurements.
Straight answers
Will straight-plate chain run on my existing sprockets?
Yes. Size for size, GL and F chains share the pitch, roller diameter and pin of the standard chain; only the plate shape changes. 08BGL runs on 08B sprockets, 60F on ANSI 60 sprockets, and so on.
What is actually different from standard chain?
The side plates. Standard chain has waisted, figure-of-eight plates; GL and F chains have straight, full-depth side bars, which give the chain a flat, continuous top and bottom edge. That flat edge is the point: product or guides can run against it without snagging on the plate waists. The extra plate metal also makes the chain slightly heavier per metre: 08BGL is 0.75 kg/m against 0.65 for standard 08B-1.
Why are there two 16B versions?
The BS range offers 16BGL with two plate heights: 16BGL-21 with 21 mm plates and 16BGL-24 with 24 mm. Pitch, roller and pin are identical; pick the plate height that suits the running surface on your machine, or send the old chain and we will match it.
How strong is it?
The figures on this page are the manufacturer's average ultimate strengths from the catalogue, which is how these ranges are published. They are not the ISO minimum breaking loads quoted on our BS and ANSI pages, and the two are not comparable. If you are sizing a drive, work from the standard-chain minimum for the same pitch and talk to us if margins are tight.
Do you supply stainless steel or self-lubricating versions?
Yes. 08B-1GL is available in steel and stainless steel, and the NSL self-lube range includes straight-link-plate versions for lines that cannot be re-oiled. Tell us the duty and we will spec the material with the chain.
Running product on the chain?
Send the size, the plate height or a photo of the old chain, and we'll quote the straight-plate version cut to length with the sprockets to match.