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
N1​ = 32N2​ = 80

A 7.5 kW motor running at 960 rpm drives a pinion with 32 teeth, which meshes with a gear with 80 teeth. The gear pair has an efficiency of 96%. Find the torque T1 on the motor shaft.

P = 7.5 kWn1 = 960 rpmN1 = 32N2 = 80η = 96%
T1 = N·m
2.Gears & gear trainsHard
A = 16B = 32C = 25D = 40

A 4 kW motor at 960 rpm drives gear A (16 teeth), which meshes with gear B (32 teeth). Gear C (25 teeth) on the same shaft as B drives gear D (40 teeth) on the output shaft. Each gear mesh has an efficiency of 98%. Find the output torque Tout.

P = 4 kWnin = 960 rpmA = 16B = 32C = 25D = 40ηmesh = 98%
Tout = N·m
3.Torsion of shaftsMedium
T = 100 N·md = 30 mmL = 1.2 mφ = ?

A solid steel shaft is fixed at the wall and twisted by a torque T at its free end. Find the angle of twist φ of the free end, in degrees.

T = 100 N·md = 30 mmL = 1.2 mG = 80 GPa
φ = °
4.Torsion of shaftsHard
d = 50 mmTB​ = 1000 N·mTC​ = 100 N·mABC1.2 m1 m

A solid brass shaft of diameter 50 mm is fixed at A. A torque of 1000 N·m acts at B, 1.2 m from A, and a torque of 100 N·m in the opposite direction acts at the free end C, a further 1 m along. Find the magnitude of the angle of twist φC of end C, in degrees.

d = 50 mmTB = 1000 N·mTC = 100 N·mAB = 1.2 mBC = 1 mG = 39 GPa
φC = °
5.Mohr’s circle & stress transformationMedium
σx​ = 100σy​ = 50τxy​ = 10MPa

A point in a thin plate is in plane stress: σₓ = 100 MPa, σᵧ = 50 MPa and τₓᵧ = 10 MPa, with σz = 0. Find the absolute maximum shear stress τabs at the point (considering all planes in three dimensions).

σx = 100 MPaσy = 50 MPaτxy = 10 MPaσz = 0
τabs = MPa
6.Mohr’s circle & stress transformationHard
50°D = 400 mm, t = 6 mm, p = 2 MPap

A thin-walled cylindrical tank of inner diameter 400 mm and wall thickness 6 mm holds gas at a gauge pressure of 2 MPa. It is made from plate welded along a helical seam at 50° to the axis of the cylinder. Find the normal stress σn acting across the weld seam.

D = 400 mmt = 6 mmp = 2 MPaα = 50°
σn = MPa
7.Axial stress & strainMedium
Ø 25 mmCopper0.5 mP = 70 kN

Find the elongation δ of the copper bar under the axial load.

P = 70 kNd = 25 mmL = 0.5 mE = 117 GPa
δ = mm
8.Axial stress & strainHard
Ø 25 mmBrass1 mØ 12 mmSteel0.5 mP = 120 kN

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

P = 120 kNsegment 1: Ø25 mm, 1 m, brass (E = 100 GPa)segment 2: Ø12 mm, 0.5 m, steel (E = 200 GPa)
δ = mm
9.Column bucklingMedium
PL = 2.5 md = 40 mmcross-section

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

L = 2.5 mE = 70 GPa (aluminium)d = 40 mm
Pcr = kN
10.Column bucklingHard
PL = 5 md = 40 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 = 5 mE = 200 GPa (steel)d = 40 mm
σcr = MPa
11.Mechanical vibrationsMedium
k = 40 kN/mζ = 0.7m = 25 kg

A 25 kg mass on a spring with a stiffness of 40 kN/m has a viscous damper giving a damping ratio of 0.7. Find the damped natural frequency fd of its free vibration in Hz.

m = 25 kgk = 40 kN/mζ = 0.7
fd = Hz
12.Mechanical vibrationsHard
k1​ = 30k2​ = 25m = 10 kg

A 10 kg mass hangs from two springs side by side (in parallel), with stiffnesses k₁ = 30 kN/m and k₂ = 25 kN/m. The mass stays level. Find the equivalent stiffness keq of the spring system in kN/m.

m = 10 kgk1 = 30 kN/mk2 = 25 kN/m
keq = kN/m

3Solutions

1.Gears & gear trains

Answer: T1 = 74.6 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.

Motor torque

ω₁ = 2π·960/60 = 100.5 rad/s
T1 = P/ω₁ = 7500/100.5 = 74.6 N·m

Answer

T1 = 74.6 N·m
2.Gears & gear trains

Answer: Tout = 122.3 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·(16/32)·(25/40) = 300 rpm
ωout = 2π·300/60 = 31.42 rad/s

Output power and torque

Pout = 4000·0.98² = 3842 W
Tout = Pout/ωout = 3842/31.42 = 122.3 N·m

Answer

Tout = 122.3 N·m
3.Torsion of shafts

Answer: φ = 1.081 °

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·30⁴/32 = 79522 mm⁴

Angle of twist

φ = TL/(GJ) = 100·1000·1200/(80000·79522) = 0.01886 rad
φ = 0.01886·180/π = 1.081°

Answer

φ = 1.081°
4.Torsion of shafts

Answer: φC = 2.346 °

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.

Internal torques

Sense of TC taken as positive.

TBC = TC = 100 N·m
TAB = TC − TB = 100 − 1000 = −900 N·m

Twist of each segment

J = π·50⁴/32 = 613592 mm⁴
G = 39 GPa = 39000 MPa
φAB = −900000·1200/(39000·613592) = −0.04513 rad
φBC = 100000·1000/(39000·613592) = 0.004179 rad

Twist of end C

φC = −0.04513 + 0.004179 = −0.04095 rad → |φC| = 2.346°

Answer

φC = 2.346°
5.Mohr’s circle & stress transformation

Answer: τabs = 50.96 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.

σxyCσ1​σ2​

In-plane principal stresses

C = 75 MPa, R = √(25² + 10²) = 26.93 MPa
σ1 = 101.9 MPa, σ2 = 48.07 MPa, σz = 0

Largest of the three circles

τ = max(|σ1 − σ2|, |σ1|, |σ2|)/2 = max(53.85, 101.9, 48.07)/2 = 50.96 MPa

Answer

τabs = 50.96 MPa

Here the out-of-plane circle governs: the absolute maximum is larger than the in-plane maximum R.

6.Mohr’s circle & stress transformation

Answer: σn = 47.11 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 = 2·200/6 = 66.67 MPa
σa = pr/(2t) = 33.33 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.

σn = 33.33·sin²50° + 66.67·cos²50° = 47.11 MPa

Answer

σn = 47.11 MPa
7.Axial stress & strain

Answer: δ = 0.6094 mm

Hooke’s law: within the elastic range σ = E·ε. Combining with σ = P/A and ε = δ/L gives δ = PL/(AE).

Stress

A = π·25²/4 = 490.9 mm²
σ = P/A = 70·1000/490.9 = 142.6 MPa

Strain (Hooke’s law)

E for copper = 117 GPa = 117000 MPa.

ε = σ/E = 142.6/117000 = 0.001219 = 1219 µε

Elongation

δ = ε·L = 0.001219·500 mm = 0.6094 mm

Answer

δ = 0.6094 mm
8.Axial stress & strain

Answer: δ = 5.097 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·12²/4 = 113.1 mm²
σ1 = 244.5 MPa
σ2 = 1061 MPa

Add the segment elongations

δ1 = σ1L1/E1 = 244.5·1000/100000 = 2.445 mm
δ2 = σ2L2/E2 = 1061·500/200000 = 2.653 mm
δ = δ1 + δ2 = 5.097 mm

Answer

δ = 5.097 mm
9.Column buckling

Answer: Pcr = 28.35 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·40⁴/64 = 125664 mm⁴

Effective length

KL = 0.7·2500 = 1750 mm

Critical load

Pcr = π²EI/(KL)² = π²·70000·125664/1750² = 28349 N = 28.35 kN

Answer

Pcr = 28.35 kN
10.Column buckling

Answer: σcr = 1.974 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·40⁴/64 = 125664 mm⁴

Radius of gyration and slenderness

A = 1257 mm²
r = √(I/A) = √(125664/1257) = 10 mm
KL = 2·5000 = 10000 mm
KL/r = 10000/10 = 1000

Critical stress

σcr = π²E/(KL/r)² = π²·200000/1000² = 1.974 MPa

Answer

σcr = 1.974 MPa
11.Mechanical vibrations

Answer: fd = 4.546 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 = √(40000/25) = 40 rad/s
fn = 40/(2π) = 6.366 Hz

Damped natural frequency

fd = fn·√(1 − ζ²) = 6.366·√(1 − 0.7²) = 4.546 Hz

Answer

fd = 4.546 Hz
12.Mechanical vibrations

Answer: keq = 55 kN/m

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 = 30 + 25 = 55 kN/m

Answer

keq = 55 kN/m

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