What Are Machine Elements?

A machine element is the smallest mechanical part or part assembly in a machine. Machine elements are
basic mechanical parts and features used as the building blocks of most machines. They usually perform a
single function and cannot be replaced with multiple parts. For example, a bearing may be made of smaller
parts such as balls, rings and seals, but it cannot perform its function if it were split up into its constituent
mechanical parts.

Machine element or hardware refers to an elementary component of a machine. These elements consist of
three basic types:

 structural components such as frame members, bearings, axles, splines, fasteners, seals, and
lubricants,
 mechanisms that control movement in various ways such as gear trains, belt or chain drives,
linkages, cam and follower systems, including brakes and clutches, and
 control components such as buttons, switches, indicators, sensors, actuators and computer
controllers.[1]

While generally not considered to be a machine element, the shape, texture and color of covers are an
important part of a machine that provide a styling and operational interface between the mechanical
components of a machine and its users.

Thus, a machine element may be defined as a part constituent (such as a fastener) or a distinct part (e.g.
clutch) in machines. Broadly, machine elements can be divided into two main types.

 General-purpose machine elements

 Special purpose machine elements

General-purpose machine elements

These elements are the basic building blocks in many types of machines. Parts such as fasteners (screws,
nuts and bolts, rivets, etc.), chains, shafts, keys, bearings and belts are examples of general-purpose
machine elements. They usually perform the same function in all these machines.

In most cases, general-purpose machine elements come in sizes and shapes defined by international
standards.

For example, hex bolts can be manufactured as per 18 different standards, the most popular being DIN 931
and DIN 933. In most of these standards, they are available in sizes from M3 to M48. This increases their
usability in a variety of different machines, as replacements are easily available.

Special-purpose machine elements

These are mechanical elements that find specific use in machine design. Examples of such parts are the
turbine in a jet engine, blades in a fan, pistons, crankshaft, etc. The mechanical design of these parts is
customised as per requirements.
Let us consider the example of ship engines. They come in different designs, with the number of cylinders
ranging from 6 to 14.

For each type of engine, the size of every component is redesigned. The exhaust valve, cylinder head, liner,
piston, piston rings, connecting rod and crankshaft all come in different sizes for two different types of
engines.

A modern vision of the Machine Elements discipline incorporates electronics and software elements, i.e. it
incorporates basic mechanical, electrical and software components, each to be used as the building blocks
in the design of smart machines. Consistent with this modern vision, the optimization of system dynamic and
tribological properties can be carried out, for example, by simply optimizing feedback gains of controllers,
easily implementable in practice by means of software.

Types of Machine Elements

Both general and special purpose machine elements are elementary mechanical components that function
together to make a machine work. Let’s see the various types of common machine elements and their uses.

Bearings

Bearings are one of the most common machine elements in machine design. Their job is to eliminate the
friction between two moving parts. The mechanical design of rotating machines is incomplete without it. The
primary purpose of bearings is to prevent direct metal-to-metal contact of the two parts and enable smooth
relative motion between them.

They come in various shapes and sizes. The abundance of available bearing designs enables designers to
select the most suitable bearing for different applications, ensuring maximum reliability, efficiency,
performance and durability.
 Bearings find use in a range of different motions, such as linear (conveyors), rotational (crankshafts), hinge
(doors, windows) and spherical (ball and socket joint). They transmit radial loads, axial loads (thrust
bearings), or a combination of both from the rotating element to the bearing housing.

Some applications of bearings are:

 Sliding doors/windows/drawers
 Engine crankshaft
 Conveyor pulleys and idlers
 Wind turbines

 Motors

Shafts

Shafts are usually designed for the unique application and CNC machined
Shafts are long, cylindrical components used for the transfer of torque and mechanical power between two
components. Designers use them when the distance between drive train components is too great for a direct
connection, or if they operate in different environments.

For instance, in the case of a ship propeller, the distance is too great between the engine and the propeller
warranting the use of a long shaft with multiple bearings along the way.

Similarly, the steam turbines powering the cargo oil pumps in oil tankers are isolated from the pumps by a
bulkhead to eliminate the chances of ignition (different environments application). Only the shaft passes
through the bulkhead from the engine room to the pump room.

The steam turbines in the engine room become extremely hot during operation. Even in the unlikely event
of the atmosphere in the pump room becoming combustible (if cargo oil leaks), the mechanical design is
such that the turbines will not act as sources of ignition.

A shaft may be solid or hollow, depending on the need. Solid ones are more compact, but their hollow
counterparts have a greater load-carrying capacity for the same weight. For shafts under heavy loads during
operation, designers prefer a hollow shaft as it has higher rigidity, stiffness and bending moments.
 Some applications of shafts are:
 IC engine crankshafts/camshafts
 Vehicle axles
 Clocks and watches
 Motors
 Pumps

Keys

In machine design, keys are small mechanical components that connect shafts to rotating elements. In some
cases, they may be solely responsible for the transfer of torque between the two elements.

Keys are placed between the shaft and the rotating element and have provisions cut out in both of them to
fix the key in place. The cutout in the hub is known as the keyway. The bottom of the keyway where the key
rests in the shaft is known as the keyseat. The complete assembly is known as a keyed joint.

A keyed joint permits no relative rotational motion but may allow axial motion to a small extent as keys are
inserted in the axial direction. Due to such a function, keys must endure high compressive and shearing
stresses. Thus, crushing failure and shearing failure are important considerations in a key’s mechanical
design.

The various types of keys in machine design come in many standard shapes. The five main types of keys
are round, saddle, spline, sunk and tangent.

Sunk key is the most common of them all. It comes in various sizes and shapes such as rectangle, square,
parallel sunk, woodruff, gib-head and feather.

Some applications of keys are:

 Motors
 Marine propellers
 Gear drives
 Pulleys
 Sprockets

Couplings

Couplings are mechanical components that connect two rotating in-line shafts, with the primary purpose of
transmitting power in mechanical design. The entire assembly rotates at the same speed. A coupling may
be rigid or flexible, depending on the need.

A flexible coupling can absorb any mounting errors as well as any minor misalignments between the shafts
that may develop over time. They also absorb shocks and vibration, increasing the service life of the
machines in the process. Unlike clutches, couplings do not engage and disengage.

These machine elements also isolate the heat transfer between the two ends in some applications. For
instance, a motor can heat up considerably during operation. A coupling prevents this transfer of heat from
the motor to the paired machine.

Some couplings work like fuses. If the torque exceeds a certain limit, they break and sever the connection
between the driving and driven components to protect sensitive machinery. Such a coupling is known as
Overload Safety Mechanical Coupling and is normally used for the protection of motors and drive systems
in power transmissions.

Some applications of couplings are:

 Generators
 Motion control in robotics
 Automotive steering linkages
 Paddle steamers
 Car differentials

Fasteners

In mechanical engineering applications, different types of fasteners are used to hold together two or more
machinery components. They create temporary joints which can be disassembled when needed. Some
machines work under extreme conditions. The primary purpose of fasteners is to protect these machines
against high pressures, excessive forces and vibration.

In machine design, it is important to be as specific as possible about the design or selection of fasteners in
applications. This is to ensure that these machine elements can manage the forces that the product will be
subjected to in service and the machines can function without failure. Fasteners are usually made
from carbon steel, stainless steel, or alloy steel.

Some examples of fasteners are screws, nuts/bolts, split pins, rivets and circlips. And they are used
everywhere, independent of the industry. The only question to ask is whether the assembly will need to be
disassembled for maintenance or not, as in the choice of rivets vs bolts and nuts.

Gears
Gears are elementary machine elements with toothed wheels to transfer power and rotation between two
shafts. They can increase or decrease angular velocity while simultaneously decreasing or increasing
torque, following the laws of energy conservation. In essence, they act as levers in a translating mechanical
system.

The teeth on two gears mesh with each other and transfer power from the driving shaft to the driven shaft.
Usually, the shafts are parallel, but special gears are capable of transferring power between intersecting as
well as non-parallel, non-intersecting shafts.

The capability to work efficiently in any orientation means they also come in a variety of shapes. Most gears
are cylindrical in shape with teeth along the circumference. Others come in shapes that resemble a shaft
(worm gear) or a rod (rack and pinion). Yet others have teeth on the face instead of the circumference (face
gears).

While it is important to select the general gear type, due attention must also be paid to factors such as
precision grade standard (DIN, AGMA, ISO), need for ground or heat-treated teeth, dimensions (face width,
helix angle, module, number of teeth, etc.) and more.
 Some applications of gears are:

 Clocks and watches

 Vehicle gearboxes
 Clocks and watches
 Mixers and blenders
 Washing machines and dryers

Chain Drives & Types of Chains

Chain drives are most commonly used to transmit power between two components that are at a greater
distance, but they may also be used for short distances. They are one of the five most frequently used
mechanical power transmission methods alongside shaft couplings, gear drives, belt drives and lead screws.
Each method has several advantages and disadvantages over others, which means engineers must be
careful before making the final selection.

Belt Drives & Types of Belts

A belt drive is a frictional drive that transmits power between two or more shafts using pulleys and
an elastic belt. In most cases, it is powered by friction but it may also be a positive drive. It can operate at
wide ranges of speed and power requirements. It is also highly efficient.

When it comes to cost, a belt drive is considerably cheaper than gear and chain drives. It costs less to install
as well as maintain. Belt drive sheaves or pulleys undergo little wear compared to chain drive sprockets over
extended periods of use. Belts are the cheapest utility for power transmission between shafts that may not
be parallel. They run smoothly and with little noise, and cushion motor and bearings against load changes.
Belts Protect from overload, Absorb noise and vibrations, Cushion load fluctuations, Needs little
maintenance and operates at High efficiency (90-98%, usually 95%).

Contrary to most chain and gear drives, a belt drive can handle some degree of misalignment. Correct
alignment, however, increases service life. Excessive misalignment is responsible for issues such as
improper belt tracking, uneven pulley wear, noisy operation and belt edge wear. The intensity of these issues
is directly proportional to the belt’s width.

Belt tracking refers to the belt’s ability to be centrally located on the pulley and not shift to either side when
in operation. Crowned pulleys can alleviate belt tracking issues.

It is also worth noting that a belt drive usually reduces shaft speed. For this reason, the driving pulley is
usually smaller than the driven pulley. This provides a greater wrap angle on the driven pulley which is
beneficial in friction-based drives. Designers may also use an idler pulley to increase the wrap angle and to
maintain the recommended belt tension.