Higher Technological Institute HTI

Shafts Design

Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy

Associate Professor
Faculty of Engineering - Minia University
 Lecture slides to accompany

A Textbook of
Machine Design

by
R. S. Khurmi
J. K. Gupta
Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department
Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
 Introduction
shaft is a rotating machine element which is used to transmit power from
one place to another.
The power is delivered to the shaft by some tangential force and the
resultant torque (or twisting moment) set up within the shaft permits the
power to be transferred to various machines linked up to the shaft.
In order to transfer the power from one shaft to another, the various
members such as pulleys, gears etc., are mounted on it. These members
along with the forces exerted upon them causes the shaft to bending.
In other words, we may say that a shaft is used for the transmission of
torque and bending moment. The various members are mounted on the
shaft by means of keys or splines.

Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department

Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
 Notes:
1. The shafts are usually cylindrical but may be square or cross-shaped
in section. They are solid in cross-section, but sometimes hollow shafts
are also used.
2. An axle, though similar in shape to the shaft, is a stationary machine
element and is used for the transmission of bending moment only. It
simply acts as a support for some rotating body such as hoisting drum, a
car wheel or a rope sheave.
3. A spindle is a short shaft that imparts motion either to a cutting tool
(e.g., drill press spindles) or to a work piece (e.g., lathe spindles).

Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department

Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department
Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
 Material Used for Shafts

The material used for shafts should have the following properties :
1. It should have high strength.
2. It should have good machinability.
3. It should have low notch sensitivity factor.
4. It should have good heat treatment properties.
5. It should have high wear resistant properties.

Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department

Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
 Standard Sizes of Transmission Shafts
The standard sizes of transmission shafts are :
• 25 mm to 60 mm with 5 mm steps;
• 60 mm to 110 mm with 10 mm steps ;
• 110 mm to 140 mm with 15 mm steps ;
• and 140 mm to 500 mm with 20 mm steps.
The standard length of the shafts are 5 m, 6 m and 7 m.

Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department

Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
 Stresses in Shafts

The following stresses are induced in the shafts :

1. Shear stresses due to the transmission of torque (due to torsional load).
2. Bending stresses and tensile or compressive due to the forces acting upon
machine elements like gears, pulleys etc. as well as due to the weight of the
shaft itself.
3. Stresses due to combined torsional and bending loads

Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department

Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
 Design of Shafts
Shafts Subjected to Combined Twisting Moment and Bending Moment

Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department

Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
 Example 1
A shaft is supported by two bearings placed 1 m apart. A 600 mm
diameter pulley is mounted at a distance of 300 mm to the right of left
hand bearing and this drives a pulley directly below it with the help of
belt having maximum tension of 2.25 kN. Another pulley 400 mm
diameter is placed 200 mm to the left of right hand bearing and is
driven with the help of electric motor and belt, which is placed
horizontally to the right. The angle of contact for both the pulleys is
180° and μ = 0.24. Determine the suitable diameter for a solid shaft,
allowing working stress of 63 MPa in tension and 42 MPa in shear for
the material of shaft. Assume that the torque on one pulley is equal to
that on the other pulley.

Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department

Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department
Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department
Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department
Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department
Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department
Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
 Shafts Subjected to Axial Load in addition to Combined Torsion and
Bending Loads

When the shaft is subjected to an axial load (F) in addition to torsion and
bending loads as in propeller shafts of ships and shafts for driving worm
gears, then the stress due to axial load must be added to the bending stress
(σb).

Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department

Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
 In case of long shafts (slender shafts) subjected to compressive loads, a
factor known as column factor (α) must be introduced to take the column
effect into account.
∴ Stress due to the compressive load,

Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department

Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department
Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department
Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy
Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department
Faculty of Engineering - Minia University Dr. Ahmed Nabhan M. Elkholy