keyway vs spline
keyway vs spline
(OP)
Having had a fatigue failure on a drive shaft with cracks starting at a keyway, I would like to evaluate a splined drive as an alternative. I'm struggling to find some form of comparison chart / guide for comparison of capabilities between keys and splines. Any pointers?





RE: keyway vs spline
I'm not a real engineer, but I play one on T.V.
A.J. Gest, York Int./JCI
RE: keyway vs spline
Regards,
Cory
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.
RE: keyway vs spline
RE: keyway vs spline
Roughly speaking the torque capacity of a spline will be n times that of the same sized key, where n is the number of teeth. In practice since splines are often rolled, their torque capacity is even higher than that.
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: keyway vs spline
Good luck.
Kenneth J Hueston, PEng
Principal
Sturni-Hueston Engineering Inc
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
RE: keyway vs spline
Like others said, torque transmission via key is often looking for trouble. A healthy dose of friction (diameters with interference or clamped faces or even setscrews radially loading the shft against the hub ID) is much better at day-t0-day chores.
RE: keyway vs spline
RE: keyway vs spline
For more detail check out Shigley-Mischke (5th Ed.) pg 368.
Farmboy
RE: keyway vs spline
I'm not sure what you're attaching to the shaft, but if it is a drive component have you considered QD or taper bushings?
Don
Kansas City
RE: keyway vs spline
Trying to use a keyway in a fatigue loaded joint is the mission of the devil. They are going to break...and always at the worst possible time.
RE: keyway vs spline
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RE: keyway vs spline
RE: keyway vs spline
Here is an alternative to keys or shrink fits.
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RE: keyway vs spline
Also, I have found from experience that Trantorq bushings are often a pain in the ass. It is very difficult to tighten them while controlling thier position on the shaft/housing. They have a tendency to change location as they are tightened, so it is difficult to use them with a drive component that must be accurately located along an axis. If position isn't critical, then they're OK.
Don
Kansas City
RE: keyway vs spline
RE: keyway vs spline