KEYS WEEK-05
Keys
A demountable machinery part which, when assembled
provides a positive means for transmitting torque between the
shaft and hub.
A key is a piece of mild steel inserted between the shaft and
hub of the pulley to connect these together in order to prevent
relative motion between them.
• Key is always inserted parallel to the axis of the shaft.
• Keys are used as temporary fastenings.
• A keyway is a slot in a shaft and hub of the pulley to accommodate a key.
Keys
Types of Keys
1. Sunk Keys
2. Saddle Keys
3. Tangent Keys
4. Round Keys
5. Splines
Classification of Keys
It may be of rectangular or square section
1. Parallel Keys uniform in width and thickness throughout.
It is of constant width but its height varies with a
2. Tapered Keys linear taper of 1/8 in per foot, and it is driven
into a tapered slot in the hub until it locks.
Woodruff key is semi circular in plan and of
constant width. It fits in a semi circular key seat
3. Special Keys (Woodruff Key)
milled in the shaft with a standard circular cutter.
Sunk Keys
Sunk Keys
The sunk keys are provided half in the keyway of the shaft and half in the
keyway of the hub.
• Rectangular Sunk Key
Tapered Key
• Square Sunk Key
• Parallel Key
• Gib-Head Key
PARALLEL KEYS
Most Commonly Used.
Made from Standard Cold Rolled Bar Stock.
When the torque changes sign, any clearance between
key and keyway will be suddenly taken up with resulting
impact and high stresses. This is termed backlash.
Key length should be less than about 1.5 times the shaft
diameter to avoid excessive twisting with shaft deflection.
PARALLEL KEYS
Most Commonly Used.
Made from Standard Cold Rolled Bar Stock.
When the torque changes sign, any clearance between
key and keyway will be suddenly taken up with resulting
impact and high stresses. This is termed backlash.
Key length should be less than about 1.5 times the shaft
diameter to avoid excessive twisting with shaft deflection.
TAPERED KEYS
Width same as for parallel key.
The taper of key help in holding the key in place axially
due to friction.
Gibhead provides a surface for prying.
.
STANDARD KEY AND SET-SCREW SIZES
WOODRUFF KEYS
Used on smaller shafts.
Semi Circular shape creates deeper keyway.
Penetration of key into hub is half the key width.
STANDARD SIZES FOR WOODRUFF KEYS
What do
these key
numbers
mean ?
STRESSES IN KEYS
1. Shear Failure: when the key is sheared across its width at the
interface between shaft and hub
A is the area being cut by
shear; product of width and
length
2. Bearing Stress: when the failure occurs by crushing either side in
compression.
A is the area in contact b/w
key and shaft or hub;
product of half-height and
length
KEY MATERIALS AND KEY DESIGN
Ductile Materials are used; mostly low carbon steel and brass/SS
Shaft Diameter determines key width; which determines key height.
Length of Key and Number of keys are the only variables.
If one key can not handle the torque at reasonable stresses,
additional key can be added, 90° from the first.
Keys and Key seats have sharp corners which cause significant
stress concentrations. Factor ranges from 2 to 4.
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
Design the keys for the shaft in Examples 10-2 (p. 565) and 10-3 (p. 568).
GIVEN: (From the Repeated Torsion ASSUMPTIONS:
and Repeated Bending Example)
Using Parallel keys with end milled
T = 146 lb-in keyways.
Peak Moment at B = 65.6 lb-in Material is SAE 1010.
Peak Moment at D = 18.3 lb-in Sut = 53 kpsi
d1 = 0.750 in ; d3 = 0.531 in Sy = 44 kpsi
Initial Key Length = 0.5 in
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
STEP 1
Uncorrected Endurance Strength: Sè = 0.5(Sut) = 26,500 psi
Corrected Endurance Strength: Se = = 22,990 psi
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
STEP 2
Find the Key Width from the Given Table against the Shaft Diameters:
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
STEP 3
Calculate Mean and Alternating Components for Force on the Keys
For Point B For Point D
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
STEP 4
Assume Key Length of 0.5 in and Find the Shear Stress acting on Key
For Point B For Point D
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
STEP 5
Find the Equivalent Von Mises Stress for each component
For Point B For Point D
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
STEP 6
Find the Safety Factor for Fatigue
For Point B For Point D
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
STEP 7
Bearing Stress on Key is Compression and can be considered static load. Calculated
using maximum force on the key
For Point B For Point D
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
STEP 8
Calculate Safety Factor for Bearing Failure
For Point B For Point D
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
What’s Next ??
We keep F.S for Keys lower than Shafts, so that keys fail and cut off transmission in
case of a failure
We will analyze the current F.S and incase of being higher, will vary assumption of
initial length of key and re-iterate using the below procedure:
We will incorporate F.S by
calculating the new r/d ratios and
calculating the Stress Concentration
Factors. We will calculate Kf, Kfm,
Kfs , Kfsm as discussed in shafts…
Calculate Fatigue Safety Factor
Nf from the diameter of shafts
formula and find out Nf. Re-
iterate till results are achieved.
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
Assume a radius on the end mill of 0.010 in. The r / d ratios for the
two points are then
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
For a notch sensitivity q = 0.5, we get:
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
For a notch sensitivity q = 0.5, we get:
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
For dB = 0.750 in ; dD = 0.531 in
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
For dB = 0.750 in ; dD = 0.531 in
DESIGN OF KEYS-EXAMPLE
At Point B, we find out that the Factor of Safety for shaft diameter is
greater than that for key, i.e. 5.5>5.3
At Point D, we find that the Factor of Safety for shaft diameter is less
than that for key i.e. 2.2<2.5
We reiterate the values and for a shaft diameter of 0.562 in, we find
that the corresponding Factor of Safety is 2.7.
