Different Retaining Ring Types

Retaining rings are installed into a groove on a shaft

(external) or into a bore (internal) to keep the assembly in
place
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 Housing Rings, or HO Rings,
are axially assembled internal
retaining rings that are made
from zinc plated spring steel
and install with needle-nose pliers into a
housing or bore. These tapered section
type rings have a taper design that allows
the ring to maintain constant pressure
against axles, gears, and bearings inside
machinery housings to prevent slippage.

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 Snap Rings, sometimes referred
to as circlips or seeger rings, are
a stamped tapered section
retaining ring
These axially installed rings are often used
in external applications to secure parts on
grooved shafts, pins, or studs. The
protruding section of the ring provides a
shoulder for retaining parts, reducing cost
of machining shoulders.

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 Crescent Rings, or C-Clips, are
radially-assembled retaining
rings that snap into the
machined groove of a shaft
creating retention. Their section height is
narrow, providing good clearance
capabilities, especially when clearance is
minimal. They are absent of teeth and
deep sets, resulting in lower thrust load
ratings than E-Clips

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 Crimp rings, also called crimp
circlips, are a "C" shaped wire
formed retaining ring that is
installed axially on a grooved
shaft or rod. The gap furnished in the
ring, which allows for axial installation, is
crimped closed to provide secure fitment
to its mating part. Since crimp rings are
made from material lacking spring like
properties, they cannot be reused once
removed.
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 D-Rings are simple, sturdy,
and inexpensive wire form
fasteners easily recognizable
by their "D" shape. The
smooth, edgeless design creates a strong,
durable anchor point that is excellent for
textile applications, such as tarps, tents,
collars, and straps. D-rings are a great
choice over round rings if limited material
movement is desired

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 Radial grip rings, also called
RG Shaft Rings, are stamped
self-locking retaining rings
that are radially applied to a
shaft. Due to their self-locking design,
radial grip rings can be installed on shafts
with or without a machined groove.
Grooveless shafts should be a softer grade
than the ring to allow for a secure grip.

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 A handy and tough fastener,
hog rings are the go-to
fastener for applications such
as sealing sausage casings,
joining mesh or wire cages, fastening wire
to fences, or the manufacture and
maintenance of upholstered goods . Hog
Rings hold a firm grip that is unlikely to fail
and are generally more secure than nails or
staples.

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 Interlocking Rings are
re-usable radially-assembled
retaining rings composed of
two identical semicircular
halves. They are held together by
interlocking prongs that latch into a groove
of a shaft. Their symmetrical shape
dynamically "balances" the part which
allows them to effectively withstand high
speed rotation

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 Bearing locknuts, sometimes
called shaft locknuts or
bearing retaining nuts, are
utilized to secure bearings
onto a shaft and are designed to prevent
the loosening of components due to
vibration and rotation. Bearing locknuts
possess a different appearance from
traditional hex lock nuts. Bearing locknuts
are typically rounded on the outside with
keyed slots.
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 Lock washers are designed to
reduce the loosening of bolts
and screws from their mating
assembly. Lock washers come
in a variety of types, the most common
being the split and toothed washer. The
spring tension of these washers prevents
loosening by creating pressure against a
fastener's threads and its mating part

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 Poodle Clips, sometimes called
PO-Clips, are an external,
radially-assembled, heavy duty
ring with large shoulders
and thicker material than standard E-clips.
The PO-clip's shoulders, or "ears", offer
extra retention surface against the retained
part. PO-clips are also available in thinner
sizes as a standard series of rings known as
POL

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 Prong Locked Rings, sometimes
called EL Clips, are a variation of
a bowed E-Clip with prongs that
secure
the clip into place. This radially-installed
part functions as both a shoulder and
spring due to its curved shape and prongs.
High thrust load capacity and unique
design make this a good retainer against
moving parts

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 Push-On Rings are a self-locking
retaining ring that applies
frictional force against a shaft or
housing to hold a
mechanical component in place. Commonly
found in external or internal self-locking
designs, Push-On Rings do not require
grooves or additional machining to be
secured into place. They are excellent for
securing parts in lighter duty applications
not subject to substantial thrust loads
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 Rectangular wire retaining
rings, or rectangular-section
rings, are retaining rings made
from carbon spring steel with
a rectangular cross section. This style of
retaining ring provides a larger shoulder for
retaining parts on a shaft or inside a bore
or housing. Rectangular wire rings are often
used in fear systems or bearing assemblies

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 Round wire rings, or round
section wire rings, are a split
ring formed and cut from round
spring wire. Round wire
snap rings are designed for rounded
grooves in external and internal shaft or
bore applications. Round wire rings tend to
hold tighter tolerances, however they
possess less load bearing capacity than
their square and rectangular counterparts

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 Spiral retaining rings are
commonly used for shafts
(external), housing/bores
(internal), and bearing
retention – or any application that requires
360° contact with a groove and shoulder of
the assembling part. These rings are coiled
from flat wire and designed for easy
installation and removal, requiring no
special tools.

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 A split ring is a metal, wire
formed ring that consists of two
complete turns of a helix
pressed flat together. They
are versatile rings used by manufacturers in
many industries, such as automotive,
aerospace, and fishing industries. Split rings
operate as heavy-duty wire with an offset
or "kickout" to ease installation processes
and are generally made from heavier gauge
wire than circle cotters
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 Square wire rings, or square
wire retaining rings, are a split
ring formed and cut from
square spring wire. They are
designed for a greater degree of shoulder
strength than round wire snap rings. They
are used in a wide variety of heavy-duty
applications, particularly fitting for shaft
applications with a lot of tension

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 Upholstery Rings, commonly
called hog rings, are u-shaped
rings bent during installation to
secure two objects
together. Once installed, they feature a firm
grip that is unlikely to work itself loose and
are generally more secure than nails or
staples. To ease installation, bent or
straight hog ring pliers are recommended

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 X-Rings, or X retaining fasteners,
are a heavier construction crimp
style fastener commonly used in
grooved shaft assemblies providing 360
degree closure. These rings are installed
radially and secured by simply squeezing the
legs of the ring together with pliers

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 E-Clips — also known as
E-Rings — are three pronged,
stamped clips that fit into
machined grooves of smaller
diameter tubes and shafts. E-clips are
installed radially and have a wider shoulder
than other types of external rings, thus
providing a larger retaining area and
yielding higher thrust load capacity.

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Q 1 : How do you measure a retaining ring?
Retaining rings are primarily measured by 3 criteria:
1. Groove Size — The diameter, width, and depth of
the groove the retaining ring will fit.
2. Ring Diameter — The free diameter or diameter
of the clip prior to installation. Internal retaining
rings are measured by their outer diameter, and
external rings are measured by their inner
diameter.
3. Ring Thickness — Thickness should also be
measured to ensure proper fitment in the
intended groove

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Q 2 : Can you re-use retaining rings?
Retaining rings manufactured from spring steel, or
other materials with spring-like qualities, can be
reused as long as there is no visible wear or damage
that compromises the integrity of the ring. Rings that
do not possess spring-like qualities, such as x-rings,
should not be reused since repeatedly closing and
opening the ring reduces its structural integrity.

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Q 3 :What's difference between a retaining
ring vs snap ring vs circlip?
Retaining ring, snap ring, and circlip are terms often
used interchangeably referring to the same part — a
retaining ring with spring like features that is used to
retain a part on a shaft or inside a housing or bore

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Q 4 : What is the difference between external vs.
internal retaining rings?
Internal retaining rings : are designed for retaining
parts inside a bore or housing.
External retaining rings : are intended for placement
on the outside of the shaft, often in a machined
groove

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Thanks …….

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