Design of Keys

• Types of keys,
• Splines,
• Selection of Square and Flat keys,
• Strength of Sunk key,

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Key:
• Connect transmission shaft and rotating m/c elements (Pulley, Gear,
and Flywheel).

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Primary Function of Key:
• Transmit torque from Shaft to the hub of matching element.
• Prevents relative rotational motion b/w shat and joined machine
element.
Types of Key:
1. Saddle Keys
2. Sunk Keys
3. Feathered Keys
4. Woodruff Key

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Design of Flat Key:
• Forces acting on Key
2𝑇
𝑃=
𝑑

Types of failure in Key:

1. Shear failure of Key

2. Crushing failure of Key

Figure. Forces acting on Key

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1. Shear failure of Key:

𝑃 𝑃 2𝑇
𝜏= = =
𝐴𝑠 𝑙 × 𝑏 𝑙 × 𝑏 × 𝑑

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2. Crushing failure of Key:

2𝑇
𝑃 𝑃 𝑑 4𝑇
𝜎𝑐 = = ℎ = ℎ =
𝐴𝑐 𝑙 × 2 𝑙 × 2 𝑙 × ℎ × 𝑑

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 𝒅
Design of Square Key 𝒉 = 𝒃 =
𝟒

Figure: Flat Key Figure: Square Key

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Problem 1. It is required to design a square key for fixing a gear on a
shaft of 25 mm diameter. The shaft is transmitting 15 kW power at 720
r.p.m. to the gear. The key is made of steel 50C4 (Syt = 460 N/mm²) and
the factor of safety is 3. For key material, the yield strength in
compression can be assumed to be equal to the yield strength in
tension. Determine the dimensions of the key.
60×𝑃𝑤
• 𝑇= = 198.94~199 𝑁. 𝑚 = 199000 𝑁. 𝑚𝑚
2𝜋𝑁

2𝑇
•𝑃= = 15920 𝑁
𝑑

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• Shearing failure of Key:

𝜏𝑖𝑛𝑑 ≤ 𝜏𝑝𝑒𝑟

2𝑇 0.5 × 460 For Square key

≤ 𝒅
𝒉=𝒃=
𝑙×𝑏×𝑑 3 𝟒

8𝑇 0.5 × 460
2
≤
𝑙×𝑑 3

𝑙 ≥ 33.22

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2. Crushing failure of Key:

𝜎𝑐 ≤ 𝜎𝑝𝑒𝑟
4𝑇
≤ 460
𝑙×ℎ×𝑑
16𝑇
2
≤ 460
𝑙×𝑑
16 × 𝑇 × 3
𝑙≥
460 × 𝑑 2
𝑙 ≥ 33.22 𝑚𝑚

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Problem 2. The standard cross- section for a flat key, which is fitted on a
50 mm diameter shaft, is 16×10mm The key is transmitting 475 N-m
torque from the shaft to the hub. The key is made of commercial steel
(Syt =Syc =230 MPa) . Determine the length of the key, if the factor of
safety is 3.

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Kennedy Key:
• It consist of two square key.
• It is used for heavy duty application.

Figure: Kennedy Key

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Design of Kennedy Key:

Figure: Kennedy Key Figure: Forces acting on Kennedy key

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Design of Kennedy Key:
𝑇
Torque transmitted by each key=
2
Force acting on each key:
𝑇 𝑑
=𝑃×
2 2
𝑇 =𝑃×𝑑
𝑇
𝑃= Figure: Forces acting on Kennedy key
𝑑

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Design of Kennedy Key:

𝑇
𝑃=
𝑑

• Shearing failure of Kennedy key:

𝜏𝑖𝑛𝑑 ≤ 𝜏𝑝𝑒𝑟

𝑃
≤ 𝜏𝑝𝑒𝑟
𝐴𝑠
Figure: Forces acting on Kennedy key

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 𝑃
≤ 𝜏𝑝𝑒𝑟
𝐴𝑠
𝑃
≤ 𝜏𝑝𝑒𝑟
𝜏𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝐴𝐶 × 𝑙
𝑃
≤ 𝜏𝑝𝑒𝑟
2𝑏×𝑙
𝑇
𝑑
≤ 𝜏𝑝𝑒𝑟
𝜏𝑖𝑛𝑑 2𝑏×𝑙
𝑇
≤ 𝜏𝑝𝑒𝑟
2 𝑑𝑏𝑙 Figure: Forces acting on Kennedy key
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• Crushing failure of Kennedy key:
𝜎𝑐 𝑖𝑛𝑑 ≤ 𝜎𝑐 𝑝𝑒𝑟
𝑃
≤ 𝜎𝑐 𝑝𝑒𝑟
𝐴𝑐
𝑃
≤ 𝜎𝑐 𝑝𝑒𝑟
𝑂𝐵 × 𝑙
𝑃
𝑏 ≤ 𝜎𝑐 𝑝𝑒𝑟
×𝑙
2

2𝑃
≤ 𝜎𝑐 𝑝𝑒𝑟 Figure: Forces acting on Kennedy key
𝑏×𝑙
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• Crushing failure of Kennedy key:
𝜎𝑐 𝑖𝑛𝑑
2𝑃
≤ 𝜎𝑐 𝑝𝑒𝑟
𝑏×𝑙
𝜎𝑐 𝑖𝑛𝑑
2𝑡
≤ 𝜎𝑐 𝑝𝑒𝑟
𝑑×𝑏×𝑙

Figure: Forces acting on Kennedy key

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Problem: A shaft, 40 mm in diameter, is transmitting 35 kW power at
300 r.p.m. by means of Kennedy keys of 10×10 mm cross-section. The
keys are made of steel 45C8 (Syt=Syc=380 MPa) and the factor of safety
is 3.
Assume (Sys =0.577 Syt ) and determine the required length of the key.

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Thank
You
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