Machine Design: cram pack

Formula sheets, the key method steps for every topic and 12 practice problems, with full solutions at the back.

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1Formulas and methods

Gears & gear trains

Meshing gears
n1·N1 = n2·N2
Torque
T2 = T1·(N2/N1)·η
Power
P = T·ω, ω = 2π·n/60
Compound train
total ratio = product of the stage ratios

Torsion of shafts

Shear stress
τ = T·r/J
Solid shaft
J = πd⁴/32
Hollow shaft
J = π(D⁴ − d⁴)/32
Angle of twist
φ = TL/(GJ)
Power
P = T·ω = 2πnT/60

Method

  1. Find the polar moment of area: J = πd⁴/32 for a solid shaft.
  2. Shear stress at the surface: τ = T·r/J, with r the outer radius.
  3. Angle of twist: φ = TL/(GJ) in radians.
  4. If power is given, find the torque first with P = T·ω, ω = 2πn/60.

Mohr’s circle & stress transformation

Centre
C = (σx + σy)/2
Radius
R = √(((σx − σy)/2)² + τxy²)
Principal stresses
σ1,2 = C ± R
Principal direction
tan 2θp = 2τxy/(σx − σy)
Inclined plane
σθ = C + (σx − σy)/2·cos 2θ + τxy·sin 2θ

Method

  1. Calculate the centre of Mohr’s circle: C = (σx + σy)/2.
  2. Calculate the radius: R = √(((σx − σy)/2)² + τxy²).
  3. The principal stresses are C ± R and the largest in-plane shear stress is R.
  4. Angles on the circle are double the angles on the element: tan 2θp = 2τxy/(σx − σy).

Axial stress & strain

Normal stress
σ = F/A
Strain
ε = ΔL/L
Hooke’s law
σ = E·ε
Elongation
ΔL = FL/(EA)
Thermal strain
εT = α·ΔT

Column buckling

Euler load
Pcr = π²EI/(KL)²
Effective length factor
K = 1 pinned–pinned, 0.5 fixed–fixed, 0.7 fixed–pinned, 2 fixed–free
Critical stress
σcr = Pcr/A
Slenderness
λ = KL/r, r = √(I/A)

Mechanical vibrations

Natural frequency
ωn = √(k/m), fn = ωn/(2π)
From static deflection
ωn = √(g/δst)
Critical damping
cc = 2√(km) = 2mωn
Damping ratio
ζ = c/cc
Damped frequency
ωd = ωn√(1 − ζ²)
Logarithmic decrement
δ = (1/n)·ln(x0/xn), ζ = δ/√(4π² + δ²)
Springs in parallel
k = k1 + k2
Springs in series
1/k = 1/k1 + 1/k2

2Practice problems

1.Gears & gear trainsMedium
Nw​ = 45z = 4, 1440 rpm

A worm with 4 start(s) turns at 1440 rpm and drives a worm wheel with 45 teeth. Find the speed nw of the wheel.

z = 4Nw = 45n = 1440 rpm
nw = rpm
2.Gears & gear trainsHard
Ns​ = 18nr​ = ?Np​ = 12carrier fixed

In a planetary gear set the sun gear has 18 teeth and each planet gear has 12 teeth. The planet carrier is held fixed and the sun is driven at 600 rpm. Find the speed nr of the ring gear (magnitude).

Ns = 18Np = 12ns = 600 rpm
nr = rpm
3.Torsion of shaftsMedium
do​ = 80, di​ = 60 mmT = 200 N·mL = 3 m

A hollow brass shaft (outer diameter 80 mm, inner diameter 60 mm, length 3 m) is fixed at one end and twisted by a torque of 200 N·m at the other. Find the angle of twist φ in degrees.

T = 200 N·mdo = 80 mmdi = 60 mmL = 3 mG = 39 GPa
φ = °
4.Torsion of shaftsHard
Tdo​ = 60 mm, di​ = 45 mm

A hollow shaft transmits 50 kW at 300 rpm. Find the maximum shear stress τmax in the shaft.

P = 50 kWN = 300 rpmdo = 60 mmdi = 45 mm
τmax = MPa
5.Mohr’s circle & stress transformationMedium
σx​ = −50σy​ = 40τxy​ = −30MPa

A point in a thin plate is in plane stress: σₓ = −50 MPa, σᵧ = 40 MPa and τₓᵧ = −30 MPa, with σz = 0. Find the absolute maximum shear stress τabs at the point (considering all planes in three dimensions).

σx = −50 MPaσy = 40 MPaτxy = −30 MPaσz = 0
τabs = MPa
6.Mohr’s circle & stress transformationHard
50°D = 400 mm, t = 5 mm, p = 3 MPap

A thin-walled cylindrical tank of inner diameter 400 mm and wall thickness 5 mm holds gas at a gauge pressure of 3 MPa. It is made from plate welded along a helical seam at 50° to the axis of the cylinder. Find the magnitude of the shear stress |τn| acting along the weld seam.

D = 400 mmt = 5 mmp = 3 MPaα = 50°
|τn| = MPa
7.Axial stress & strainMedium
P = ?12600 mm300 mmØ30Ø50δ = 0.5 mm

A bar is made of a steel segment (diameter 30 mm, length 600 mm, E = 200 GPa) joined end to end with a segment made of bronze (diameter 50 mm, length 300 mm, E = 110 GPa). It is fixed at one end and pulled at the other. Find the axial load P that stretches it by 0.5 mm in total.

segment 1: steel, Ø30 mm, 600 mm, E = 200 GPasegment 2: bronze, Ø50 mm, 300 mm, E = 110 GPaδ = 0.5 mm
P = kN
8.Axial stress & strainHard
Ø 30 mmCopper0.5 mØ 20 mmAluminium0.5 mP = 15 kN

The stepped bar is fixed at the wall and loaded at its free end. Find the total elongation δ.

P = 15 kNsegment 1: Ø30 mm, 0.5 m, copper (E = 117 GPa)segment 2: Ø20 mm, 0.5 m, aluminium (E = 70 GPa)
δ = mm
9.Column bucklingMedium
PL = 2.5 m40 × 100 mmcross-section

A column of length L made of steel is fixed at the base and free at the top. Using Euler’s formula, find its critical buckling load Pcr.

L = 2.5 mE = 200 GPa (steel)b × h = 40 × 100 mm
Pcr = kN
10.Column bucklingHard
PL = 2.5 md = 50 mmcross-section

A column of length L made of aluminium is fixed at the base and free at the top. Find its slenderness and the critical buckling stress σcr from Euler’s formula.

L = 2.5 mE = 70 GPa (aluminium)d = 50 mm
σcr = MPa
11.Mechanical vibrationsMedium
tx10 mm4 cycles3.7 mm

In a free-vibration test of a damped mass–spring system, a displacement peak of 10 mm is followed 4 cycles later by a peak of 3.7 mm. Find the damping ratio ζ.

x0 = 10 mmx4 = 3.7 mmn = 4
ζ =
12.Mechanical vibrationsHard
k1​ = 60k2​ = 30m = 100 kg

A 100 kg mass hangs from two springs connected end to end (in series): the upper spring has k₁ = 60 kN/m and the lower one k₂ = 30 kN/m. Ignore damping and the masses of the springs. Find the natural frequency fn of vertical vibration in Hz.

m = 100 kgk1 = 60 kN/mk2 = 30 kN/m
fn = Hz

3Solutions

1.Gears & gear trains

Answer: nw = 128 rpm

Gear trains: meshing gears have the same speed at the teeth, so n₁·N₁ = n₂·N₂: the gear with fewer teeth turns faster. Gears on one shaft turn at the same speed. Power is passed on (minus losses), so torque goes up when speed goes down: T₂ = T₁·(N₂/N₁)·η, and P = T·ω with ω = 2π·n/60.

Wheel speed

nw = n·z/Nw = 1440·4/45 = 128 rpm

Answer

nw = 128 rpm
2.Gears & gear trains

Answer: nr = 257.1 rpm

Planetary gear sets: the speeds of sun, ring and carrier are linked by the Willis equation (ns − nc)/(nr − nc) = −Nr/Ns: seen from the carrier, the set is an ordinary train with the planets as idlers. Holding one member fixed turns the set into a single-ratio reducer.

Ring gear teeth

Nr = Ns + 2·Np = 18 + 2·12 = 42

Willis equation with the carrier fixed

With nc = 0 the sun drives the ring through the planets, which act as idlers.

nr = −ns·Ns/Nr = −600·18/42 = −257.1 rpm
|nr| = 257.1 rpm

Answer

nr = 257.1 rpm

The ring turns opposite to the sun.

3.Torsion of shafts

Answer: φ = 0.3207 °

Torsion of circular shafts: shear stress grows linearly from zero at the centre to τmax = T·r/J at the surface, with J = πd⁴/32 for a solid shaft and J = π(do⁴ − di⁴)/32 for a hollow one. The angle of twist is φ = TL/(GJ) in radians. Power and torque are linked by P = T·ω.

Polar second moment of area

J = π(80⁴ − 60⁴)/32 = 2.749 × 10⁶ mm⁴

Angle of twist

T = 200 N·m = 200000 N·mm
L = 3 m = 3000 mm
G = 39 GPa = 39000 MPa
φ = TL/(GJ) = 200000·3000/(39000·2.749 × 10⁶) = 0.005597 rad
φ = 0.005597·180/π = 0.3207°

Answer

φ = 0.3207°
4.Torsion of shafts

Answer: τmax = 54.9 MPa

Torsion of circular shafts: shear stress grows linearly from zero at the centre to τmax = T·r/J at the surface, with J = πd⁴/32 for a solid shaft and J = π(do⁴ − di⁴)/32 for a hollow one. The angle of twist is φ = TL/(GJ) in radians. Power and torque are linked by P = T·ω.

Torque

ω = 2πN/60 = 2π·300/60 = 31.42 rad/s
T = P/ω = 50000/31.42 = 1592 N·m

Polar second moment of area

J = π(60⁴ − 45⁴)/32 = 869767 mm⁴

Maximum shear stress

τmax = T·(do/2)/J = 1.592 × 10⁶·30/869767 = 54.9 MPa

Answer

τmax = 54.9 MPa
5.Mohr’s circle & stress transformation

Answer: τabs = 54.08 MPa

Plane stress transformation: on a plane rotated by θ, σ = (σₓ + σᵧ)/2 + (σₓ − σᵧ)/2·cos 2θ + τₓᵧ·sin 2θ. Mohr’s circle shows all planes at once: its centre is at C = (σₓ + σᵧ)/2 and its radius is R = √(((σₓ − σᵧ)/2)² + τₓᵧ²). The principal stresses are C ± R, and the largest in-plane shear stress is R. In three dimensions the absolute maximum shear stress is (σmax − σmin)/2 over all three principal stresses; in plane stress the third one is zero.

στxyCσ1​σ2​

In-plane principal stresses

C = −5 MPa, R = √((−45)² + (−30)²) = 54.08 MPa
σ1 = 49.08 MPa, σ2 = −59.08 MPa, σz = 0

Largest of the three circles

τ = max(|σ1 − σ2|, |σ1|, |σ2|)/2 = max(108.2, 49.08, 59.08)/2 = 54.08 MPa

Answer

τabs = 54.08 MPa

Here σ₁ and σ₂ have opposite signs, so the in-plane maximum R is also the absolute maximum.

6.Mohr’s circle & stress transformation

Answer: |τn| = 29.54 MPa

Plane stress transformation: on a plane rotated by θ, σ = (σₓ + σᵧ)/2 + (σₓ − σᵧ)/2·cos 2θ + τₓᵧ·sin 2θ. Mohr’s circle shows all planes at once: its centre is at C = (σₓ + σᵧ)/2 and its radius is R = √(((σₓ − σᵧ)/2)² + τₓᵧ²). The principal stresses are C ± R, and the largest in-plane shear stress is R. Thin-walled cylinder: hoop stress σh = pr/t and axial stress σa = pr/(2t); these are the principal stresses in the wall.

Wall stresses

r = 400/2 = 200 mm
σh = pr/t = 3·200/5 = 120 MPa
σa = pr/(2t) = 60 MPa

Transform to the seam

Take x along the axis (σa) and y around the hoop (σh). The seam’s normal makes 90° − α with the axis.

|τn| = (120 − 60)·sin 50°·cos 50° = 29.54 MPa

Answer

|τn| = 29.54 MPa
7.Axial stress & strain

Answer: P = 88.76 kN

Two materials: in series (one after the other) every segment carries the same force and the elongations add: δ = P·Σ L/(E·A). In parallel (side by side between rigid plates) both parts shorten by the same amount, so their strains are equal: the stiffer part takes the larger share, Pi = P·EiAi/ΣEA, and σi = Ei·ε. A bar held between two rigid walls with a load at the junction is statically indeterminate: the two segments share the load in proportion to their stiffness k = EA/L.

Areas

A₁ = 706.9 mm², A₂ = 1963 mm²

Flexibilities

L₁/(E₁A₁) = 600/(200000·706.9) = 4.244 × 10⁻⁶ mm/N
L₂/(E₂A₂) = 300/(110000·1963) = 1.389 × 10⁻⁶ mm/N

Load

P = 0.5/5.633 × 10⁻⁶ = 88761 N = 88.76 kN

Answer

P = 88.76 kN
8.Axial stress & strain

Answer: δ = 0.4317 mm

Axially loaded members: each prismatic segment obeys δ = PL/(AE). For members in series the elongations add.

Same force in both segments

The free end carries P, so every section of the bar carries the same axial force P. Only the areas and materials change.

A1 = π·30²/4 = 706.9 mm², A2 = π·20²/4 = 314.2 mm²
σ1 = 21.22 MPa
σ2 = 47.75 MPa

Add the segment elongations

δ1 = σ1L1/E1 = 21.22·500/117000 = 0.09069 mm
δ2 = σ2L2/E2 = 47.75·500/70000 = 0.341 mm
δ = δ1 + δ2 = 0.4317 mm

Answer

δ = 0.4317 mm
9.Column buckling

Answer: Pcr = 42.11 kN

Euler buckling: a slender column becomes unstable at Pcr = π²EI/(KL)², where KL is the effective length: K = 1 for pinned–pinned, 2 for fixed–free, 0.7 for fixed–pinned and 0.5 for fixed–fixed. It buckles about the axis with the smallest I. The formula holds for slender columns, whose critical stress stays below the yield stress.

Smallest second moment of area

A rectangle buckles about its weak axis, using the smaller dimension cubed.

Imin = h·b³/12 = 100·40³/12 = 533333 mm⁴

Effective length

KL = 2·2500 = 5000 mm

Critical load

Pcr = π²EI/(KL)² = π²·200000·533333/5000² = 42110 N = 42.11 kN

Answer

Pcr = 42.11 kN
10.Column buckling

Answer: σcr = 4.318 MPa

Euler buckling: a slender column becomes unstable at Pcr = π²EI/(KL)², where KL is the effective length: K = 1 for pinned–pinned, 2 for fixed–free, 0.7 for fixed–pinned and 0.5 for fixed–fixed. It buckles about the axis with the smallest I. The formula holds for slender columns, whose critical stress stays below the yield stress.

Smallest second moment of area

A round section has the same I about every axis.

I = πd⁴/64 = π·50⁴/64 = 306796 mm⁴

Radius of gyration and slenderness

A = 1963 mm²
r = √(I/A) = √(306796/1963) = 12.5 mm
KL = 2·2500 = 5000 mm
KL/r = 5000/12.5 = 400

Critical stress

σcr = π²E/(KL/r)² = π²·70000/400² = 4.318 MPa

Answer

σcr = 4.318 MPa
11.Mechanical vibrations

Answer: ζ = 0.03953

Free vibration of a mass–spring system: the undamped natural frequency is ωn = √(k/m) in rad/s, and fn = ωn/(2π) in Hz. A viscous damper c gives the damping ratio ζ = c/cc, with critical damping cc = 2·√(k·m) = 2·m·ωn. An underdamped system (ζ < 1) oscillates at ωd = ωn·√(1 − ζ²). Springs in parallel add, k = k₁ + k₂; springs in series add as reciprocals, 1/k = 1/k₁ + 1/k₂.

Logarithmic decrement

δ = (1/4)·ln(10/3.7) = 0.2486

Damping ratio

ζ = δ/√(4π² + δ²) = 0.2486/√(39.48 + 0.06178) = 0.03953

Answer

ζ = 0.03953
12.Mechanical vibrations

Answer: fn = 2.251 Hz

Free vibration of a mass–spring system: the undamped natural frequency is ωn = √(k/m) in rad/s, and fn = ωn/(2π) in Hz. A viscous damper c gives the damping ratio ζ = c/cc, with critical damping cc = 2·√(k·m) = 2·m·ωn. An underdamped system (ζ < 1) oscillates at ωd = ωn·√(1 − ζ²). Springs in parallel add, k = k₁ + k₂; springs in series add as reciprocals, 1/k = 1/k₁ + 1/k₂.

Equivalent stiffness

Springs in series share the same force and add their deflections, so they combine as reciprocals: 1/k = 1/k1 + 1/k2.

1/keq = 1/60 + 1/30 → keq = 60·30/(60 + 30) = 20 kN/m

Natural frequency

ωn = √(20000/100) = 14.14 rad/s
fn = 14.14/(2π) = 2.251 Hz

Answer

fn = 2.251 Hz

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