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
Tw​ = ?z = 4, 1440 rpm

A 3 kW motor at 1440 rpm drives a worm with 4 start(s). The worm wheel has 45 teeth and the drive has an efficiency of 75%. Find the output torque Tw on the wheel shaft.

z = 4Nw = 45n = 1440 rpmP = 3 kWη = 75%
Tw = N·m
2.Gears & gear trainsHard
A = 12B = 30C = 20D = 45

A 7.5 kW motor at 960 rpm drives gear A (12 teeth), which meshes with gear B (30 teeth). Gear C (20 teeth) on the same shaft as B drives gear D (45 teeth) on the output shaft. Each gear mesh has an efficiency of 98%. Find the output torque Tout.

P = 7.5 kWnin = 960 rpmA = 12B = 30C = 20D = 45ηmesh = 98%
Tout = N·m
3.Torsion of shaftsMedium
d1​ = 40 mmd2​ = 20 mmT = 200 N·mABC1.5 m2.5 m

A stepped solid steel shaft is fixed at A. Segment AB has diameter 40 mm and length 1.5 m; segment BC has diameter 20 mm and length 2.5 m. A torque of 200 N·m acts at the free end C. Find the angle of twist φC of end C, in degrees.

T = 200 N·md1 = 40 mm, L1 = 1.5 md2 = 20 mm, L2 = 2.5 mG = 80 GPa
φC = °
4.Torsion of shaftsHard
Tdo​ = 75 mm, di​ = 45 mm

A hollow shaft transmits 75 kW at 300 rpm. Find the maximum shear stress τmax in the shaft.

P = 75 kWN = 300 rpmdo = 75 mmdi = 45 mm
τmax = MPa
5.Mohr’s circle & stress transformationMedium
σx​ = 90σy​ = 40τxy​ = −50MPa

A point in a loaded part has σₓ = 90 MPa, σᵧ = 40 MPa and τₓᵧ = −50 MPa (tension positive). Find the maximum in-plane shear stress τmax.

σx = 90 MPaσy = 40 MPaτxy = −50 MPa
τmax = MPa
6.Mohr’s circle & stress transformationHard
35°D = 1000 mm, t = 8 mm, p = 1.5 MPap

A thin-walled cylindrical tank of inner diameter 1000 mm and wall thickness 8 mm holds gas at a gauge pressure of 1.5 MPa. It is made from plate welded along a helical seam at 35° to the axis of the cylinder. Find the magnitude of the shear stress |τn| acting along the weld seam.

D = 1000 mmt = 8 mmp = 1.5 MPaα = 35°
|τn| = MPa
7.Axial stress & strainMedium
150 kNØ2570 GPaØ80/50600 mmδ = ?

A steel rod (diameter 25 mm, E = 200 GPa) sits inside a tube made of aluminium (outer diameter 80 mm, inner diameter 50 mm, E = 70 GPa). Both are 600 mm long and are compressed together between rigid plates by 150 kN. Find the shortening δ.

P = 150 kNrod: Ø25 mm, E = 200 GPatube: Ø80/Ø50 mm, E = 70 GPaL = 600 mm
δ = mm
8.Axial stress & strainHard
Ø 25 mmBrass1 mØ 20 mmAluminium0.5 mP = 60 kN

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

P = 60 kNsegment 1: Ø25 mm, 1 m, brass (E = 100 GPa)segment 2: Ø20 mm, 0.5 m, aluminium (E = 70 GPa)
δ = mm
9.Column bucklingMedium
PL = 4 md = 60 mmcross-section

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

L = 4 mE = 70 GPa (aluminium)d = 60 mm
Pcr = kN
10.Column bucklingHard
PL = 1.5 md = 80 mmcross-section

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

L = 1.5 mE = 200 GPa (steel)d = 80 mm
σcr = MPa
11.Mechanical vibrationsMedium
k = 20 kN/mζ = 0.5m = 100 kg

A 100 kg mass on a spring with a stiffness of 20 kN/m has a viscous damper giving a damping ratio of 0.5. Find the damped natural frequency fd of its free vibration in Hz.

m = 100 kgk = 20 kN/mζ = 0.5
fd = Hz
12.Mechanical vibrationsHard
k1​ = 80k2​ = 60m = 40 kg

A 40 kg mass hangs from two springs side by side (in parallel), with stiffnesses k₁ = 80 kN/m and k₂ = 60 kN/m. The mass stays level. Ignore damping and the masses of the springs. Find the natural frequency fn of vertical vibration in Hz.

m = 40 kgk1 = 80 kN/mk2 = 60 kN/m
fn = Hz

3Solutions

1.Gears & gear trains

Answer: Tw = 167.9 N·m

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

Output torque

ωw = 2π·128/60 = 13.4 rad/s
Tw = η·P/ωw = 0.75·3000/13.4 = 167.9 N·m

Answer

Tw = 167.9 N·m
2.Gears & gear trains

Answer: Tout = 403 N·m

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.

Output speed

nout = 960·(12/30)·(20/45) = 170.7 rpm
ωout = 2π·170.7/60 = 17.87 rad/s

Output power and torque

Pout = 7500·0.98² = 7203 W
Tout = Pout/ωout = 7203/17.87 = 403 N·m

Answer

Tout = 403 N·m
3.Torsion of shafts

Answer: φC = 23.65 °

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 moments

J1 = π·40⁴/32 = 251327 mm⁴
J2 = π·20⁴/32 = 15708 mm⁴

Twist of each segment

T = 200 N·m = 200000 N·mm
G = 80 GPa = 80000 MPa
φAB = 200000·1500/(80000·251327) = 0.01492 rad
φBC = 200000·2500/(80000·15708) = 0.3979 rad

Total twist

φC = 0.01492 + 0.3979 = 0.4128 rad = 23.65°

Answer

φC = 23.65°
4.Torsion of shafts

Answer: τmax = 33.11 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 = 75000/31.42 = 2387 N·m

Polar second moment of area

J = π(75⁴ − 45⁴)/32 = 2.704 × 10⁶ mm⁴

Maximum shear stress

τmax = T·(do/2)/J = 2.387 × 10⁶·37.5/2.704 × 10⁶ = 33.11 MPa

Answer

τmax = 33.11 MPa
5.Mohr’s circle & stress transformation

Answer: τmax = 55.9 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.

στxyCτmax​

Radius of Mohr’s circle

τmax = R = √(((90 − 40)/2)² + −50²) = 55.9 MPa

Answer

τmax = 55.9 MPa
6.Mohr’s circle & stress transformation

Answer: |τn| = 22.02 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 = 1000/2 = 500 mm
σh = pr/t = 1.5·500/8 = 93.75 MPa
σa = pr/(2t) = 46.88 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| = (93.75 − 46.88)·sin 35°·cos 35° = 22.02 MPa

Answer

|τn| = 22.02 MPa
7.Axial stress & strain

Answer: δ = 0.2879 mm

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

Ar = π·25²/4 = 490.9 mm²
At = π(80² − 50²)/4 = 3063 mm²

Combined axial stiffness

ΣEA = 200·10³·490.9 + 70·10³·3063 = 3.126 × 10⁸ N

Shortening

δ = 150000·600/3.126 × 10⁸ = 0.2879 mm

Answer

δ = 0.2879 mm
8.Axial stress & strain

Answer: δ = 2.586 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·25²/4 = 490.9 mm², A2 = π·20²/4 = 314.2 mm²
σ1 = 122.2 MPa
σ2 = 191 MPa

Add the segment elongations

δ1 = σ1L1/E1 = 122.2·1000/100000 = 1.222 mm
δ2 = σ2L2/E2 = 191·500/70000 = 1.364 mm
δ = δ1 + δ2 = 2.586 mm

Answer

δ = 2.586 mm
9.Column buckling

Answer: Pcr = 6.867 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 round section has the same I about every axis.

I = πd⁴/64 = π·60⁴/64 = 636173 mm⁴

Effective length

KL = 2·4000 = 8000 mm

Critical load

Pcr = π²EI/(KL)² = π²·70000·636173/8000² = 6867 N = 6.867 kN

Answer

Pcr = 6.867 kN
10.Column buckling

Answer: σcr = 87.73 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·80⁴/64 = 2.011 × 10⁶ mm⁴

Radius of gyration and slenderness

A = 5027 mm²
r = √(I/A) = √(2.011 × 10⁶/5027) = 20 mm
KL = 2·1500 = 3000 mm
KL/r = 3000/20 = 150

Critical stress

σcr = π²E/(KL/r)² = π²·200000/150² = 87.73 MPa

Answer

σcr = 87.73 MPa
11.Mechanical vibrations

Answer: fd = 1.949 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.

Undamped natural frequency

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

Damped natural frequency

fd = fn·√(1 − ζ²) = 2.251·√(1 − 0.5²) = 1.949 Hz

Answer

fd = 1.949 Hz
12.Mechanical vibrations

Answer: fn = 9.416 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 side by side share the deflection and add their forces, so their stiffnesses simply add: k = k1 + k2.

keq = 80 + 60 = 140 kN/m

Natural frequency

ωn = √(140000/40) = 59.16 rad/s
fn = 59.16/(2π) = 9.416 Hz

Answer

fn = 9.416 Hz

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