Under Graduate Course

on

Machine Design-I
Design of Machine
Elements
Shibendu Shekhar Roy
Robotics & A.I Lab. (RAIL)
Department of Mechanical Engineering

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 6 April 2009 Machine Design 3

Key - A key is defined as a machine element that is used to connect the

transmission shaft to rotating machine elements like pulley, gear,
sprocket, flywheel etc. .
Keys are used as temporary fastening of shaft and hub

Functions of Keys

¾ The primary function of the key is to transmit the torque from the shaft to the hub of
connecting element or vice-versa
¾ The another function of the key is to prevent relative rotational motion & axial
movement (except in case of feather key or splines) between the shaft & the joined m/c
elements like gear, pulley etc.
Shaft
Consisting of
Keyed joint Hub

Key

Keyway is a slot or recess on a shaft and or hub to accommodate a key

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 Key
Drawback
¾ The keyway results in stress concentration in the shaft & the part becomes weak

Assembly procedure

¾ For mounting a part at any intermediate location on the shaft,, first the key is firmly
placed in the keyway of the shaft & then the hub to be mounted is slide from one end of
the shaft till it is fully engaged with the key.
¾ After mounting positioning the hub on the shaft, such that both the keyways are
properly aligned, the key is then driven from the end, resulting in a firm joint

Manufacturing process for keyways

¾ Keyway is usually cut by vertical or horizontal milling cutter in case of shaft

¾ Keyway is usually cut by slotting machine in case of hub

Materials Plain Carbon Steels like 45C8, 50C4 etc.

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Types of Keyways

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 Key
Rectangular sunk key or
Flat key Parallel Key

Sunk Keys Square sunk key

Gib- head key Taper key

Hollow Saddle Key

Saddle keys
Flat Saddle Key

Types of Keys
Woodruff key
Special Keys Feather or kennedy key
Round key

Splines

Factors are considered for selecting of the type of key for a given application
¾ Power to be transmitted
¾ Tightness of fit
¾ Stability of connection
¾ Cost
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Sunk Key - Half the thickness of the key fits into the keyway on the shaft & the
remaining half in the keyway on the hub
- Power is transmitted due to shear resistance of the key. The relative
motion between the shaft & the hub is also prevented by the shear
resistance of key

Square Rectangular
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 Rectangular Sunk Key
- Sunk key with rectangular cross-section, is also called Flat Key
d=diameter of the shaft = diameter of the hole in the hub Usual proportions of dimensions of key
b= width of key
h=height or thickness of key b=
d 2
h= b=
d l ≥1.5d
4 3 6
l=length of key

Square Sunk Key

- Width & thickness are equal
Usual proportions of dimensions of key

d
b=h= l ≥1.5d
4
Check: Check the dimensions considering mode of failure due to shear & crushing
N.B: Flat key has more stability as compared with square key
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Dimensions of Square & Rectangular Sunk Keys (in mm) [IS : 2293]

Shaft diameter Key size Keyway depth

Above Upto & including Width × Height
In shaft In hub
6 8 2×2 1.2 1
8 10 3×3 1.8 1.4
10 12 4×4 2.5 1.8
12 17 5×5 3 2.3
17 22 6×6 3.5 2.8
22 30 8×7 4 3.3
30 38 10 × 8 5 3.3
38 44 12 × 8 5 3.3
44 50 14 × 9 5.5 3.8
50 58 16 × 10 6 4.3

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 Parallel Sunk Key IS: 2048

- is a sunk key (with rectangular or square cross-section) which is uniform in width as

well as height throughout the length of key

Taper Key IS: 2292

- is a sunk key which is uniform in width but tapered in height

- Bottom surface of the key is straight & the top surface is given a taper
- Standard taper is 1 in 100

Designation of Parallel Sunk Keys

Width × Height × Length

Example: A parallel key of width 10mm, height 8 mm & a length 50 mm shall

be designated as : Parallel key 10×8 ×50 [IS: 2048]

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Taper is provide for following two reasons

¾ When the key is inserted in the keyways of shaft and the hub & pressed, it becomes
tight due to wedge action. This ensures tightness of the joint in operating condition
¾ Due to taper, it is easy to remove the key & dismantle the joint
As compared with parallel key, taper key has following advantages

¾ The taper surface results in wedge action & increases frictional force & the tightness of
the joint
¾ The taper surface facilitates easy removal of the key, particularly with gib head

Gib- head Key IS: 2293

- It is a rectangular sunk key with a head at one end & taper at top surface to
facilitate removal

At large end, b=d/4; h=(2/3).b=d/6

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Gib Head Key

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Saddle Key - Is a key that fits in the keyways of the hub only
- There is no such keyway on the shaft

Hollow Saddle
Key

- Fits in a keyway in the hub &

the bottom of the key is
concave shaped to match the
circular/curve surface of the
shaft

Flat Saddle Key

- Fits in a keyway in the hub &

the bottom of the key sits on
the flat surface machined on
Hollow Saddle Flat Saddle Key the shaft
Key

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 Saddle Key

¾ Friction between shaft, key & hub prevents relative motion between the shaft & the
hub. Therefore power is transmitted by means of friction
¾ Saddle keys are suitable for light duty & low power transmission as compared with
sunk keys
¾ The resistance to slip in case of flat saddle key is slightly more than that of hollow
saddle key. Therefore flat saddle key is slightly superior to hollow saddle key as far as
power transmitting capacity is concerned

Sunk Key Saddle Key

-There is no possibility of the key to slip -Is liable to slip around the shaft when
around the shaft. subjected to heavy torque
-It can be used in medium & heavy duty -It can not be used in medium & heavy duty
applications applications

- It is necessary to cut keyways both on the -Requires keyway only on the hub
shaft & the hub. Cost is less
Cost is more
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Feather Key - Is a parallel sunk key that is fixed either to the shaft or to the hub
& that permits relative axial movement between them

- There is a clearance fit

between the key & the keyway
in the hub.
- The hub is free to slide over
the key, at the same time,
there is no relative rotational
movement between the shaft
& the hub
- It transmits torque & permits
some axial movements of hub

N.B: It is an alternative to splined connection

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 Woodruff Key - is a piece from cylindrical disc having segmental cross-section (in
the form of an almost semi-circular disk of uniform thickness)
- Keyway in the shaft is in the form of a semi-circular recess with the same curvature as
that of the key. The bottom portion of the key fits into circular keyway in the shaft.
- The projecting part fits in the keyway in the hub
- Once placed in position, the
woodruff key tilts & aligns itself
on the shaft

The key is largely used on

tapered shafts in Automobile &
machine tool construction

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Woodruff Key

Advantages
¾ Can be used on tapered shaft because it can be aligned by slight rotation in the
seat
¾ The extra depth of key in the shaft prevents its tendency to turn over the shaft

Disadvantages
¾ The extra depth of keyway in the shaft increase stress concentration & reduces its
strength
¾ The key does not permit axial movement between the shaft & the hub

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Round Key

- are circular in section & fit into holes drilled partly in the shaft & partly in the hub
- Sometimes the tapered pin is held in tapered holes

It has the advantage that their keyways may be drilled after the mating parts have
been assembled

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Splines - Splines are keys that are made integral with the shaft. Such shafts
are known as Splined Shaft
- These types of shafts usually have 4, 6, 10 or 16 splines

- They are used when there is a relative axial motion

between the shaft & the hub and are also used when the
force to be transmitted is large in proportion to the size
of the shaft as in Automobile transmission & sliding gear
transmission.
- These types of shafts usually have 4, 6, 10 or 16 splines

- Manufacturing Method:
Splines are cut on the shaft by Milling
the hub by Broaching

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 - Used in gear shifting
Straight Sided Splines mechanism in
Automobile gear
boxes & machine
tool gear boxes

- Stub teeth with

pressure angle 30°
Types of Splines - Are specified by
Involute Splines
module
- Greater strength

- Are used in
applications where it
is important to keep
Serrations
overall size of
assembly as small
as possible
- Used as interferance
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Forces acting on Key

P’

D
A P
P B
C
P’

Key tightly fitted at top & bottom

Shear failure of a tightly fitted key

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