Coupling design

Reference: Mechanical Design Data Manual Chapter 15

Purpose

To develop the knowledge and skills to carry out the design of a rigid coupling based on
first principles or good proportions.

Objectives

At the end of this section you should be able to design a rigid coupling of cast, forged or
fabricated construction, that is, determine all dimensions required for manufacture based
upon critical stresses or good proportions.

In the vast majority of cases, when a coupling is needed, it is more cost effective to
purchase an off-the-shelf coupling than to design and manufacture a custom coupling.
However, from the point of view of mechanical design, the design of a rigid coupling
from first principles is a good exercise to familiarise you with the process of machine
element design.

Design of machine components from first principles requires you to be able to

discriminate between critical and non-critical stress (or strains).

Critical stresses (or strains) are those that essentially determine the required dimensions
of a feature or component. These stresses or strains need to be calculated. For example, in
coupling design, the key and keyway involve critical stress and the dimensions of the
keyway are based on the allowable stress in the key and keyway.
Non-critical stresses (or strains) are those that have a low value and do not influence
dimensions. The dimensions in this case are determined by appearance or some other
functional requirement other than stress or strain. For example, in a coupling, the width
of the outer flange is a non-critical dimension and is usually determined by
appearance/safety considerations (giving adequate protection from the protruding bolts
and nuts).

Where critical stresses are involved, the analysis can be done by calculation using
formulas. This is the approach adopted here. It is important to realise that this approach
involves some "guesstimation" because certain assumptions and approximations are
usually necessary. This is where experience and skill of a mechanical design engineer is
required, to know what assumptions to make and to have a feel for the types of stresses
involved and to be able to discriminate between those that are critical and those that are
not. That is why it is important for you to get practice in the design of components such
as couplings, knuckle joints and levers because this practice will build your expertise in
mechanical design.

Another method of stress and strain analysis is by use of the finite element method using
a computer. This is a more accurate method but involves study in its own right and is the
content of another module you may wish to study: Finite Element Analysis. Where non-
critical stresses are involved, dimensions are often determined by good proportions. In
practice, this requires experience and skill but in this module you will be given the good
proportions formulas needed.

A typical rigid coupling is shown in Figure 1 below for cast or welded construction -
although the outer flange is a bit extravagant. (very difficult to make and would add
considerable cost to the unit, unless you happen to have some thick walled pipe floating
around the workshop). I would leave this off a FABRICATED coupling, this is
something you might find on a PURCHASED coupling.

(For the purpose of this exercise, include the flange)

Good proportions
For steel or cast iron couplings joining steel shafts, good proportions based on shaft d in
mm are:

Flange: outside diameter = 2.6d + 75

internal width = nut thickness + 3
radial thickness = 5-10 mm
Hub (boss) : length = 1 .3d + 3
diameter = 1.8d+5
Web: width = 0.33d
Bolts: number = 3 + 0.025d (round off)
diameter = 0.25d (round off)
PCD=2.2d+35

Assignment Questions

Design a welded steel coupling to transmit 35 kW @350 rev/mm. Low carbon steel
will be used for the fabrication and standard plate sizes are to be used (see Chapter 10).
The yield in tension of the plate and shaft steel is 220 MPa and of the key steel is 280
MPa.
The bolts will be corn.rnercial steel (property class 4.6).
There is some shock loading so a safety factor of 3 is to be used with yield strengths.
Shear strength may be taken as 75% of the tensile strength and bearing (crushing)
strength as twice the shear strength.
Determine the following dimensions and complete your design with a neat scale drawing
of a section through the coupling.

Note : * denotes that a stress calculation of all relevant stresses is required.

(a) shaft diameter *
(b) key size
(c) key length *
(d) hub diameter
(e) hub length
(f) web width
(g) bolt PCD
(h) number of bolts
(i) bolt diameter *
(j) bolt length
(k) flange outside diameter
(1) flange inside diameter
(m) flange width (internal and external - bolt is not to protrude beyond the flange)
(n) weld size hub-web *
(o) weld size web-flange.

2. Design a cast iron coupling to transmit 70 kW @ 275 rev/mm. Load is steady.

The allowable stresses (without stress concentration factors) are

Shaft steel tension 100 MPa bearing 160 MPa shear 80 MPa
Cast iron tension 30 MPa bearing 140 MIPa shear 35 MPa
Key steel tension 130 MPa bearing 180 MPa shear 90 MPa

The bolts will be commercial steel (property class 4.6).

Determine the following dimensions and complete your design with a neat scale drawing
of a section through the coupling.

Note : * denotes that a stress calculation of all relevant stresses is required.

(a) shaft diameter *
(b) key size
(c) key length *
(d) hub diameter
(e) hub length
(f) web width
(g) bolt PCD
(h) number of bolts
(i) bolt diameter *
(j) bolt length
(k) flange outside diameter
(1) flange inside diameter
(m) radial clearance between nut and flange inner face
(n) flange width (internal and external - bolt is not to protrude beyond the flange).