Shafts

A shaft, as usually used, is a rotating member transmitting power. It maybe classified as;
Line shaft or main shaft- one driven by a prime mover and power is taken from it by belts or
chains, usually at several points along the shaft.
Countershaft or head shaft – shaft intermediate between a line shaft and a driven machine.
Spindle – short shafts on machines.

Shaft Design by Code (ASME Code)

Shaft of ductile materials, based on strength, is controlled by the maximum shear theory.
Shaft of brittle materials would be designed on the basis of the maximum normal stress theory.

For Bending or Torsion

32 K m M 32 K m M D o
sd  (for solid) sd  (for hollow) eq (1)
 D3  (D o4  D i4 )

16 K s T 16 K s T D o
s sd  (for solid) sd  (for hollow) eq (2)
D 3
 (D o4  D i4 )
For Bending, Axial load F, and Torsion together, the normal stress used is;

KmM F K T
s  eq (3) , and the shearing stress is, s s  s ' eq (4)
Z A Z
* if axial load is tensile α = 1

Solving Diameter for Bending, Axial load and Torsion by Maximum Shear Theory

1/ 2
16    F D (1  B2 )  
2

D 
3
(K s T)   K m M 
2
  , eq (5)
 s sd (1  B4 )   8  


D = nominal or outside diameter of the solid shaft

B = diameter ratio (for hollow shaft only) = Di / Do
Ks= combined shock and fatigue factor for torsional stress (Table 9.1 Faires-279)
Km = combined shock and fatigue factor for bending moment
Α = column slender factor for the shaft, (applicable if axial load F is compressive and when
the slender ratio of the shaft, Le/k >30.
=1.0 if the load F is Tensile in nature
F = axial load on the shaft (sometimes zero)
T=Torque or twisting moment at section under study
M=bending at the section under study
Sd = the design stress
for shaft under shear stress ; ssd = 0.18 Su or 0.30 Sy , (whichever is smaller)
for shaft in bending only; sd = 0.36 Su or 0.60 Sy , (whichever is smaller)

1
 The forgoing values of design stress should be multiplied by 0.75 if there is a
keyway present at the section under study

Torsional and Transverse Deflection

Limiting torsional deflection is about 0.08° per foot of length to 1° per foot or 1° in length
of 20 diameter for transmitting shaft. Transverse deflection should not exceed 0.01 in per ft of
length between supports.

Example 1:
A hollow shaft is to transmit 25 hp at 250 rpm. The loading is such that the maximum
bending moment is 11500 kg-cm and the axial compressive load is 2000 kg. The shaft is to be
supported on bearing 180 cm apart and is subjected to minor shock loads. The shaft is to be made
of steel with allowable stress of 41.37 N/mm 2. The shaft diameter ratio is 0.75. Find diameter in
mm?

Solution: Using eq (5) of the ASME Code;

1/ 2
16    F D (1  B2 )  
2

D 
3
 (K s T) 2
  K
 m M  
 
 s sd (1  B4 )   8  


ssd = 41.37 N/mm2 (given) ,

1 –B4 = 1 – 0.752 = 0.6836 ,
1 + B2 = 1 + 0.752 = 1.5625
From table 9.1 p279, Machine Design by Faires; based on minor shock loads.
Ks = 1-1.5 ( say 1.5)
Km = 1.5-2.0 (say 2.0)

T = P / 2 π n = 25 x 0.746 kW / 2 π (250/60) rev/s = 712.430 N-m = 712,430 N-mm

M = 11,500 kg-cm x 9.81 N/kg x 10 mm/cm = 1,128,150 N-mm

F = 2000 kg x 9.81 N/kg = 19,620 N

1
α= , for straight line formula
1 - 0.0044 L/k

L = 180 cm = 1800 mm

D o2  D i2 D  0.75 D 2
k=   0.3125 D (for hollow shaft)
16 16
D
α=
D - 25.344

Thus;

2
 1/ 2
16   D 2 x 19620 x 1.5625  
2

41.37 N/mm 2
  (1.5 x 712430)2
 
 2.0 x 1128150  
 
D 3 x 0.6836   8 (D - 25.344)  

Solving by trial and error;

For; D = 80 mm Ss = 42.32 MPa > 41.37 MPa

D = 85 mm Ss = 35.45 MPa < 41.37 MPa

Then; use Do = 85 mm and Di = 63.75 mm

Example 2:
A section of commercial shafting 5 ft long between bearings carries a 200 lb pulley at its
midpoint, as shown in the figure. The pulley is keyed to the shaft and receives 20 hp at 150 rpm
which is transmitted to a flexible coupling just outside the right bearing. The belt drive is horizontal
and the sum of the belt tension is 1500 lb. Assume Kt=Km=1.5. Calculate (a) necessary shaft
diameter (b) the angle of twist between bearings. G = 12 x 10 6 psi and the allowable stress from
ASME code is 6000 psi for shaft with key and 8000 psi without key.

Figure:

3
Solution:

(a) It is necessary to determine maximum bending and torsional stresses acting on the shaft

Max bending stress, M = 3000 2  22,500 2 = 22,700 in-lb

Max Torsional stress = 20 hp x 63,000 / 150 rpm = 8400 in-lb

Then, without axial stress (F/A = 0),

16
D3 =  x 6000 psi (1.5 x 22,700)2  (1.5 x 8400) 2 , D = 3.12 in Use: D = 3 1/8 in STD

TL 32TL 32 x 8400 x (2.5 x 12 in)

(b) θ =   = 0.002242 rad = 0.128 °
JG  D G4
 x 3.1254 x 12 x 10 6

Example 3: # 482 revised

The shaft receives 300 hp while rotating at 600 rpm through a pair of bevel gears and
delivers this power via a spur gear at the other end. The bevel gear has average diameter of
600mm, tangential for F, G=300 kg and Q=450 kg, which are the rectangular components of the
tooth load. The spur gear has a module of 5 and has 40 teeth, pressure angle of 20° at another
gear on centerline 60° above the horizontal line front ward. Distance between bearings is 900 mm.
The shaft material is C1045 as rolled, What should be the shaft diameter assuming the load
accompanied with minor shock? a = 250 mm, b = 200 mm. The left bearing absorbs the thrust
load.

Figure:

Solution:

For suddenly applied load, minor shock: Ks = 1.25 Km = 1.75 (average values)
For C1045: Su = 96,00 psi Sy = 59,000 psi
Ssd = 0.18 x 96,000 x 6.896 10-3 = 119.14 MPa Use: 119.14 MPa
-3
= 0.30 x 59,000 x 6.896 x 10 = 122.04 MPa

Torsional load, T = P / 2 π n = 300 hpx 33,000 ft-lb/min-hp / 2 π 600 rpm = 2626 ft-lb
= 3,562,150 N-mm
4
Bending Loads:

Bevel Gear at “A” : see figure above

T = Ft r then; FtA = T / r = 3,562,150 N-mm / 300 mm = 11,874 N

G = 300 kg x 9.81 m/s2 = 2943 N

Spur Gear at “B” @ 60° from horizontal: see figure above

Db = m x Nt = 5 x 40 = 200 mm
FtB = T / r = 3,562,150 N-mm / 100 mm = 35621.5 N
FnB = FtB tan  = 35621.5 tan 20 = 12,965 N

FBy = FtB cos 60 + FnB sin 60 = 29,039 N (downward)

FBx = FtB sin 60 – FnB cos 60 = 24,367 N ( to the right)

Draw the Load, Shear and Moment diagram:

Vertical Load Horizontal load

Determine the Maximum Resultant Moments:

at C: MC = 5807800 2  4873400 2  7,581,594 N-mm

5
 at D: MD = 735850 2  2968300 2  3,058,150 N-mm; Then critical point is at “C”

Axial load: Q = 4414.5 N

1
Column factor: α = , where L = 900 mm k = D/4 L/k = 3600/D
1 - 0.0044 L/k

D
then, α =
D - 15.84

Thus; using ASME code

2
16  D 2 x 4414.5 
119.14 MPa  (1.25 x 3562150)  1.75 x 7581594 
2

 D3  ( D  15.84) 8 

For D = 75 mm Ss = 169.6 MPa

D = 80 mm Ss = 139.7 MPa
D = 85 mm Ss = 116.5 MPa then use: D = 85 mm