You can easily find the appropriate connection method for your specific application based on the given information. Splines: Splines are ridges or teeth on a drive shaft that mesh with grooves in a mating piece and transfer torque to it, maintaining the angular correspondence between them. A gear mounted on a shaft might use a male spline on the shaft that matches the female spline on the gear. The splines or serrations are milled or hobbed to size and shape and then heat treated. Based on the scenarios above, the limiting factor is actually the crushing force on the key, and the maximum torque that can be transmitted is reduced by approximately 25 percent (337 Nm based on crushing failure with a key versus 447 Nm for a plain shaft). Again, it’s important to note that the calculations for a keyed shaft do not take into account any service, application, or safety factors. So the recommended maximum torque may be lower than the examples above, depending on other application parameters. Keywayed shaft collars are a type of mechanical component used to position and secure components on a shaft when a precise fit and positional alignment are necessary. They have a keyway cut into them that aligns with a key on a shaft to prevent rotation relative to the shaft. These collars are tightened onto a shaft using a screw or clamp to maintain their position. This feature is especially useful in high-torque applications where the collar needs to transmit the rotational force without slipping. They are commonly used in various machinery, such as motors and gearboxes, to hold bearings in place, space components on shafts, or act as mechanical stops. Keywayed shaft collars ensure that the attached components are correctly aligned with the drive elements and do not drift during operation, thereby providing a reliable method for maintaining the assembly of mechanical parts in a variety of industrial and mechanical applications. Kibbe, R. R. (1995). Machine tool practices. (5th ed. ed., p.572). Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

When the connection rotates, the shaft and hub (mating part) exert opposing forces on the key, attempting to shear the key. The maximum torque that can be transmitted before exceeding the yield strength of the key is calculated as: It can be replaced to provide a high degree of strength or wear resistance. Austenitic (300 Series) stainless steel shaft key material should be used where the material will be exposed to a highly corrosive environment. High-strength materials are required and martensitic stainless-steel shaft key material should be used when exposed to mildly corrosive environments. Benefits and limitations of keyed joints An installed wing key cannot run axially. This lets workers subsequently adjust the position of the mounted components along the shaft. This type of key was developed by William N. Woodruff of Hartford Connecticut. In 1888, he was awarded the John Scott Medal by the Franklin Institute for his invention. [5]

The feather keys are undone to the exact length. There is no need for cutting, measuring, filing, or fitting. Shaft Keys are made of varied types of materials and also come in different shapes and sizes. The most common key shapes are rectangular or tapered and are typically made of steel. Like splined shafts, keyed shafts are available in a variety of materials, lengths, and diameters, and their keys are available in different styles, such as round, saddle, sunk, and tangent. Leonard, William Samuel (1919) [1905]. Machine-shop Tools and Methods (Revised 7thed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 39–42. OCLC 848146647 . Retrieved 30 April 2019. One part of the Shaft key fits into a precut slot in the shaft known as a key seat and the other part fits into a slot in the hub called a keyway. The whole system is called a keyed joint. A keyed joint may allow relative axial movement between the parts.

The woodruff key is a shaft key made in the form of a segment of a disk and used with shafts not more than 2¹/₂ inches in diameter. Feather Keys are a rectangular key connecting the keyways of a shaft and a hub of a gear, pulley, etc., fastened in one keyway and free to slide in the other so that the hub can drive or be driven by the shaft at various positions along with it. They are mostly used to transmit only unidirectional torques subjected to lighter initial loads, or in applications that require periodic clearance or sliding of the hub, as the drive component may become free due to multi-axial torches, While the major loosens and gets trapped inside. Machine, the reason for failure. 4. Gib head key cheaper options with no signature required. The no signature required options are at the customer’s risk once the goods leave our store. Spoiled shafts are used when the force to be transmitted is proportional to the size of the shaft as in automobile transmission and sliding gear transmission. By using split shafts, we obtain axial movement as well as a positive drive. Material Selection for Shaft keyFeather keys are fully contained. It does not set-up to hold the key in position and the wing keys cannot move out of the assembly. Keyed Shaft, what is a keyed motor shaft. In mechanical engineering, a key is a machine element used to connect a rotating machine element to a shaft. A machine runs by the power supplied to it by a prime mover such as motor, engine, etc. The power is then transmitted from the prime mover to the machine through a coupler which couples the shafts of the prime mover and the machine.

The depth of the slot in both the shaft and the component controls the axial position, but cannot be predetermined. The deeper either slot, the forward key enters axially. A shear key is a feature intended to fail and avoid further damage should the machinery be accidentally operated in excess of its design limits. Shear keys may be any of the designs described above, but are made from a weaker material than the shaft. The shear key is easily and inexpensively replaced, and avoids more serious damage to the mechanism that would be costly or difficult to repair. For example, a steel shaft and pulley may employ a brass key. When excessive torque is applied to the joint, the steel edges shear the brass key into two pieces, leaving the pulley spinning loosely on the shaft and relieving the rest of the machine from possible damage. Installation is much easier when using a keyless connection, as the shaft position does not affect the motor, as the motor can slide in any position. While using a keyed connection, the keyways should be aligned to mount the reducer on the shaft.A Shaft key is a piece of metal used to connect a rotating machine element to the shaft. A shaft key prevents a relative rotation between the two parts, and may enable torque transmission to occur. For a shaft key to function properly, both the shaft and rotating elements ( gear, pulley, and coupling) must have a keyway and a keyseat. Keyed Shafts are designed to transmit torque and rotation between two components. They are usually made of hardened steel, stainless steel, or aluminum and can be used in a variety of applications. Types of Keyed Shafts Like other types of shafts, they are available in a collection of styles, including ball splines, crowned splines, helical splines, serrations, and parallel splines. A Hirth joint is similar to a spline joint but with the teeth on the end of the shaft instead of on the surface. a b c d Keys and Keyways (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-14 , retrieved 2010-03-19.

Garfield, Eugene (2007). "The John Scott Award Recipients from 1826 - present" . Retrieved 2007-08-23.Tangent keys are used in heavy-duty equipment. These keys are actually a pair. These pair of keys are placed right angles to each other and tangent to the surface of the shaft, each key will withstand the torsion in one direction only. Sunk: These keys are set half in the keyway of the shaft and half in the keyway of hub or boss of the pulley. They come in following six types: