[walshemj]

Back when I did a mechanical engineering BTECH (higher vocational UK quali) in the 80's - we still learnt how to design a belt drive.

[TheSpiceIsLife]

Would belt drive systems still be covered in mechanical engineering?

The 4kW laser cutter I operate for work has (toothed) belts in it, so presumably the drive systems are covered under mechanical engineering?

[jbay808]

Belt drive systems are still an essential mechanical design component, both for power transmission and motion control, and certainly still covered in university classes these days.

[dsfyu404ed]

Yes. You'll study the shit out of old school flat belts because V-belts, serpentine and cogged belts require more math that nobody wants to grade. Maybe you'll do one problem calculating how tensioner placement affects the force needed to make a cogged belt skip teeth.