School of Mechanical Sciences, IIT Bhubaneswar 751013.

Tutorial Sheet: Keys, Couplings and Shafts

1. Design a CI protective flange coupling to transmit 10 kW at 800 r.p.m. from an electric motor to a
compressor. The permissible stresses are as follows:
Shear stress for shaft, bolt and key material = 40 MPa
Crushing stress for bolt and key = 80 MPa
Shear stress for CI (flange) = 10 MPa. Assume service factor to be 1.3.

2. Compare the weight, strength and stiffness of a hollow shaft of the same external diameter as that
of solid shaft. The inside diameter of the hollow shaft being half the external diameter. Both the
shafts have the same material and length.
3. Find the diameter of a horizontal shaft AD supported in bearings at A and B and carrying pulleys
at C and D is to transmit 70 kW at 400 r.p.m. from drive pulley D to off-take pulley C as shown in
figure below. Where P1 = 2P2, Q1 = 2Q2, radius of pulley C = 220 mm, radius of pulley D = 160
mm, allowable shear stress = 45 MPa and allowable tensile stress = 65 MPa.
P1

600

600

P2

300

Q1

Q2

All dimensions in mm
4. The shaft as shown in the figure below is driven by pulley B from an electric motor. Another belt
drive from pulley A is running a compressor. He belt tensions for pulley A are 1500 N and 600 N.
The ratio of belt tensions for pulley B is 3. The diameter of pulley A is 150 mm and the diameter

of pulley B is 480 mm. The allowable tensile stress for the shaft material is 170 MPa and the
allowable shear stress is 85 MPa. Take combined shock and fatigue factor for torsion and
combined shock and fatigue factor for bending as 1.25 and 1.7 respectively. Find the diameter of
the shaft.

150

100

100

Also find out the dimensions for a hollow shaft with outside diameter limited to 30 mm.
Compare the weights of the two shafts. All dimensions in mm.
Data from Mechanical Design Handbooks:
1.

2.

Standard sizes of transmission shafts:

25 mm 60 mm: 5 mm steps; 60 mm 110 mm: 10 mm steps;
20 mm steps

110 mm 140 mm: 15 mm steps; 140 mm 500 mm:

Proportions of standard parallel, tapered and gib head keys:

Shaft diameter
(mm) upto and
including

Key cross-section
Width (mm)

6
8
10
12
17
22
30
38
44
50
58
65
75

2
3
4
5
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22

Thickness (mm)

Shaft diameter
(mm) upto and
including

Key cross-section
Width (mm)

Thickness (mm)

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
8
9
10
11
12
14

85
95
110
130
150
170
200
230
260
290
330
380
440

25
28
32
36
40
45
50
56
63
70
80
90
100

14
16
18
20
22
25
28
32
32
36
40
45
50