DEDAN KIMATHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS 2015/2016

SECOND YEAR SPECIAL/SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMAMINATION FOR

THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING

EMG 2208 MECHANICS OF MACHINES I

DATE: 22/03/2016 TIME: 8.30-10.30 AM

Instructions

- This paper contains of FIVE questions

- Answer ANY THREE questions
- All questions carry equal marks
- Symbols have their usual meaning unless otherwise specified

Question One (20 marks)

a) Give two reasons for carrying out kinematic analysis in the design of machines.
(2
marks)
b) i) Define a power screw and give two application areas of power screws.
(3
marks)
ii) A power screw having square threads is used to raise a mass of 1000 kg.
The coefficient of friction at the screw-thread is 0.25. If the screw-thread
has a mean diameter 50 mm and a pitch of 3 mm, determine the torque
required to raise the load. (4.5 marks)
c) With regard to selection of the type of power transmission drive to use, give three
advantages of gear drives. (3 marks)
d) In a simple epicyclic gear train, the number of teeth of the annulus A, planet P
and sun-wheel S are 120, 30 and 60 respectively. If the annulus is fixed and the
sun-wheel rotates at 900rev/min determine the speed of the arm. (7.5 marks)

Question Two (20 marks)

In a four-bar mechanism OABC, points O and C are fixed points 152 mm apart
and OA, CB are bars 51 mm and 229 mm long respectively which are connected
by a bar AB which is 178 mm long. Link OA rotates counter-clockwise at a
uniform speed 95.5 rev/min. At the instant when the angle between links OC and
OA is 50o, determine;
a) The number of degrees of freedom of the mechanism. (2.5 marks)
b) Graphically the angle between links OA and AB and that between links
OC and CB. (5 marks)
c) The velocity of point A. (2.5 marks)

d) Graphically the velocity of point B. (show all construction lines) (6.5

marks)
e) The centripetal acceleration of points A and B. (3.5 marks)

Question Three (20 marks)

a) Define the following terms as used in kinematics;

i) Link (2 marks)

ii) Mechanism (2 marks)

iii) Kinematic chain (2 marks)
b) Give two advantages and two disadvantages of belt drives. (4 marks)
c) In a slider-crank mechanism, the connecting rod is 500 mm long and the crank
100 mm long. The line of motion of the piston passes through the centre of
rotation of the crank. The crank can be assumed to rotate at uniform speed 1800
rev/min counter-clockwise. At the instant when the crank makes an angle of 50 0,
determine;
i) The displacement of the piston. (3 marks)
ii) The velocity of the piston. (4 marks)
iii) The acceleration of the piston. (3 marks)

Question Four (20 marks)

a) The lengths of the links OA, AB, BC and OC of a four bar mechanism OABC are
150 mm, 200 mm, 180 mm and 220 mm respectively. Determine analytically the
 magnitude of angle between OA and OC at the instant when the angle between
OC and CB is 600. (6 marks)
b) Two flat belts are to be used to transmit power from a pulley of diameter 150 mm
to a larger pulley 350 mm diameter. The centre distance between the pulleys is
600 mm. The coefficient of friction between belts and pulleys is 0.15 and the
density of the belt material is 1500 kg/m3. The cross-section of each belt is 30
mm wide and 15 mm thick.
i) Determine the angle of wrap of the belt on smaller pulley. (2 marks)

ii) If the maximum allowable tension on each belt is 100 N and the smaller
pulley rotates at 600 rev/min, determine the maximum power that can be
transmitted by the two belts. (12 marks)

Question Five (20 marks)

a) Define the following terms as used in gears

i) Base circle. (1.5 marks)
ii) dedendum. (1.5 marks)
iii) Diametral pitch. (1.5 marks)
iv) Circular pitch. (1.5 marks)

b) What is the main difference between a simple gear train and a compound gear
train? (2 marks)

c) In a reversed(co-axial) compound gear train, gear A and C form the compound

gear. Gear B meshes with gear A while gear D meshes with gear C. The pitch
diameters of gear A and D are 120 mm and 60mm respectively. The number of
teeth of gears A, B and C are 60, 120 and 40 respectively. Gear B is attached to
the input shaft rotating at 200rev/min. Determine;

i) The number of teeth of gear C. (7.5 marks)

ii) The speed of the output shaft attached to gear D. (4.5 marks)