Boss Design

Bosses are used for the purpose of registration of mating parts or for attaching fasteners
such as screws or accepting threaded inserts (molded-in, press-fitted, ultrasonically or
thermally inserted).

The wall thicknesses should be less than 60 % of nominal wall to minimize sinking.
However, if the boss is not in a visible area, then the wall thickness can be increased to
allow for increased stresses imposed by self-tapping screws.

The base radius should be a minimum of 0.25 x thickness

The boss can be strengthened by gussets at the base, and by attaching it to nearby walls
with connecting ribs.
Hoop stresses are imposed on the boss walls by press fitting or otherwise inserting inserts.
The maximum insertion (or withdrawl) force Fmaxand the maximum hoop stress, ocurring at
the inner diameter of the boss, max is given by

Failures of a boss are usually attributable to:

 High hoop stresses caused because of too much interference of the internal diameter
with the insert (or screw).
 Knit lines -these are cold lines of flow meeting at the boss from opposite sides,
causing weak bonds. These can split easily when stress is applied.
 Knit lines should be relocated away from the boss, if possible. If not possible, then a
supporting gusset should be added near the knit line.