Last update: 2023-03-07

Textbook sections: 7-1 to 7-3

Design of shafts: layout, materials

and miscellaneous components

1
Shaft design

We will assume that gears, pulleys, bearings and other elements will have at least
partially analyzed and their size tentatively determined.

The following points are of importance when designing a shaft:

• Material selection
this presentation
• Geometric Layout
• Shaft design for stress
- Static strength.
- Fatigue strength.
• Deflection and rigidity (may require FEA).

Deflection is a function of the entire geometry of a shaft, while the stress at a critical
point is a function of the local geometry.

2
Shaft design (cont.)

From a global prospective, we usually proceed as follows:

1. locate the critical areas;
2. size these to meet strength requirements;
3. size the rest of the shaft to accomplish placement of shaft-supported elements.

Once the dimensions of the shaft are known, we can perform a deflection analysis -
which is usually carried out with the aid of a software, such as FEA (ME559).

3
Material selection

• Shafts are commonly made from low carbon, CD or HR steel, e.g., AISI 1020–
1050.
‣ CD steel typical for d < 3 in.
‣ HR steel common for larger sizes.
• Fatigue properties don’t usually benefit much from high alloy content and heat
treatment.
• Surface hardening usually only used when the shaft is being used as a bearing
surface

Good practice:
๏ start with inexpensive steel (e.g., AISI 1020) and perform sizing;
๏ if strength requirements are not met, use higher strength steel. Dimensions
may be much smaller, but excessive deflection becomes an issue;
๏ cost consideration should be weighted against the need for smaller
diameters

4
Geometrical layout

Must be specified initially to perform load-analysis and determine internal reactions

and their diagrams (shaft needs to fit the housing and its components should line-up
with mating parts).

✓ best to support load-carrying components between bearings;

✓ only two bearings shall be used (unless for very long shafts);
✓ load-bearing components should be placed near the bearings (reduce bending
moments and deflections).
5
Geometrical layout

• Provisions should be made to hold them in position: axial movement can generate
noise, excessive wear, vibration or disconnection. We can use:

increasing • press-fits
axial force • collars with set-screws
• pins
• retaining rings fitted in grooves machined within
the shaft
• shoulder machined in the shaft

6
Geometrical layout

• For example, assume the previous shaft is part of a larger mechanical system:

gears bearing

housing
Mo#, Vavrek and Wang, Machine
elements in mechanical design,
Pearson, 2018

Mo#, Vavrek and Wang, Machine elements in mechanical design, Pearson, 2018 7
Geometrical layout

• A potential solution may include the use of shoulders to locate gears and bearings:

shoulder

• Shoulders: primary mean of locating shaft elements and to support thrust loads.

8
 Geometrical layout

• However, to avoid axial displacements, we need to realise a shoulder on the

opposite side:

locknut+
washer
retaining ring

Mo#, Vavrek and Wang, Machine

elements in mechanical design,
Pearson, 2018

Mo#, Vavrek and Wang, Machine

elements in mechanical design,
Pearson, 2018

• Retaining rings: used if loading are reasonably small (incidental loading, i.e.,
handling, shipping or vibrations).
• Locknuts: can be used to retain elements located at the of the shaft (e.g., bearings).
9
Geometrical layout

Shoulder can also be replaced with setscrew if loading are small

Locating collars with setscrews

Fanshaft Fan pulley

sleeve bearings
Fan

Straight-trough shaft

picture taken from: Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design 11th EdiEon by Richard Budynas, Keith Nisbe# 10
Geometrical layout: avoiding overconstraining

Elements should not be over constrained, as differential thermal expansion could

generate binding of the shaft and/or dangerous axial stresses

fixed
bearing
floating
bearing

It may be desirable to locate positively only one bearing on a shaft and permit the
other to float slightly in the axial direction.

11
Geometrical layout: supporting axial load

Shoulders and retaining rings can be used to transmit axial load when this is non-
trivial.

picture taken from: Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design 11th EdiEon by Richard Budynas, Keith Nisbe# 12
Geometrical layout: providing for torque transmission

Common torque-transfer machine elements:

• keys
• splines
• setscrews
• pins
• press-fits

Most of these devices are designed such that they fail if the torque exceeds operating
limits (overloads), protecting more expensive components.

13
Providing for torque transmission: keys

• A key is placed between the shaft and the hub to transmit torque.
• It is dismountable to facilitate assembly / disassembly.
• It is placed within a keyseat, i.e., axial groove machined into the shaft.
• Similar groove is machined in the hub.
• Slip-fit to facilitate assembly/disassembly

hub key
shaft
hub

shaft

key

Mo#, Vavrek and Wang, Machine

elements in mechanical design,
Pearson, 2018

picture taken from: Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design 11th EdiEon by Richard Budynas, Keith Nisbe# 14
 Providing for torque transmission: splines

• Splines: ridges integral to a drive shaft mesh with grooves in a mating piece
➡ same function as keys but ensure more uniform torque transfer
➡ need to be carefully machined to provide a controlled fit (expansive)

Mo#, Vavrek and Wang, Machine

elements in mechanical design,
Pearson, 2018

picture taken from: Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design 11th EdiEon by Richard Budynas, Keith Nisbe# 15
Providing for torque transmission: low-torque transmission

• Setscrews (transmit torque by friction)

• Pins
• Press or shrink fits: provide reduced stress concentration.

Mo#, Vavrek and Wang, Machine

elements in mechanical design,
Pearson, 2018

setscrews

picture taken from: Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design 11th EdiEon by Richard Budynas, Keith Nisbe# 16
 Assembly and disassembly

Consideration should be given in assembling:

• the components onto the shaft,
• and the shaft assembly into the frame
2) Progressively smaller
diameters facilitate components
1) Largest to be slid on from the ends
diameter placed in
the center

3) Shoulders can be created using a retaining ring or a

sleeve (right) when two at opposite sides are required

17
Assembly and disassembly

If a component needs to be press-fitted, the shaft should be designed such that it is not
necessary to press the component down for a long length of the shaft.

3. further diameter
reduction to
2. Inner-ring is press facilitate
1. inner race fitted to the shaft installation of
mounted with bearing
light interference:
bearing seats are
grounded

picture taken from: Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design 11th EdiEon by Richard Budynas, Keith Nisbe# 18