Example1-Keys

Prof. Héctor Enrique Jaramillo Suárez

 A gear made of gray casting with a cube of
3 inches of length transmit a torsional par
of 1200 lb-ft to a shaft made of steel. The
material of gear is ASTM 40 and for the
shaft a steel AISI 1020 cold-draw and it
has 2 inches of diameter. If the torsional
par produces minimum intermittent
shocks, obtain the minimum length of the
key.

Prof. Héctor Enrique

Jaramillo
Diseño Mecánico 1
 Solution
• From table of the literature:

lb
Gear, ASTM 40 cast iron Su  140000
2
c inch

Key, AISI 1020 CD Steel: lb

Shaft, AISI 1045 CD steel: lb

Taking a safety factor (N) of 2, to minimum intermittent shocks

Prof. Héctor Enrique

Jaramillo
Diseño Mecánico 1
 Reference data
In cases in which the ultimate shear stress (u) can not be obtained:

eel:  u  0.82Su
cast iron: Empty iron:  u  0.90Su
 u  1.30Su
nd cooper alloys: Aluminum y aluminum alloys: Aluminum y aluminum alloys:
eel:
 u  0.92Su
 u  0.65Su
 y  0.55S y
 y  0.58S y

Prof. Héctor Enrique

Jaramillo
Diseño Mecánico 1
 Shear stress:

FD
T  2
F F
  F  WL
A
WL
T  WLD
2

Flatting stress: 2F
For this ind ke W   WLF
k of y: =H

Prof. Héctor Enrique

Jaramillo
Diseño Mecánico 1
   F F
A  
(H / /
2)L (W 2)L

Prof. Héctor Enrique

Jaramillo
Diseño Mecánico 1
 2F F  WL
  WL 2
Replacing in the torque equation: FD T  WLD
T 2 4

Prof. Héctor Enrique

Jaramillo
Diseño Mecánico 1
Key lenght based in shear streses:

T  WLD 2T
2 L  WD

 
    0.58S y
y

Admissible
N N
Prof. Shaft
diameter

Héctor Width /
thickness

Enriqu (H/W)
From the bottom the keyseat to t opposite
shaft
of he theside of

e
Jarami Shaft diamete
r

llo Width /

D thickness
(H/W)

i From the bottom of

the keyseat to het
opposite side of the

s shaft

e Shaft
diameter
ñ Width /

o thickness
(H/W)

M
From the bottom of
the keyseat to het
Shaft
opposite side of the
shaft
diamete

r
Width /
thickness
(H/W)

From the bottom of

the keyseat to the
opposite side of the
shaft

L 
L  L  
2(120 2T
   0.58x
0x12) WD
1. 19 66000
(1914 lb
5 14 2 2
0) inch
0
(0.5)
(2)
 Key length based in flatting stresses:

 y 66000 lb
 Admisibl    33000
e N 2 inch
2

T  WLD 4T 4(1200x12)
L  WD L  (33000)(0.5)(2)
4

L  1.75

There is no need to perform flatting calculations for the gear hub and shaft,
because in both cases the strength of the materials used are greater than

Prof. Héctor Enrique

Jaramillo
Diseño Mecánico 1
 the key material.

Prof. Héctor Enrique

Jaramillo
Diseño Mecánico 1
• It is required that the minimum length of
the key must be at least 25% greater
than the diameter of the shaft, for this
case:

L  1.25D  1.25(2)  2.50

inch

L  2.50