Machine element

NSK Support Roller cut (cropped)

Machine element or hardware refers to an elementary component of a machine. These elements consist of three basic types:

1. structural components such as frame members, bearings, axles, splines, fasteners, seals, and lubricants,
2. mechanisms that control movement in various ways such as gear trains, belt or chain drives, linkages, cam and follower systems, including brakes and clutches, and
3. control components such as buttons, switches, indicators, sensors, actuators and computer controllers.<ref>Robert L. Norton, Machine Design, (4th Edition), Prentice-Hall, 2010</ref>

While generally not considered to be a machine element, the shape, texture and color of covers are an important part of a machine that provide a styling and operational interface between the mechanical components of a machine and its users.

Machine elements are basic mechanical parts and features used as the building blocks of most machines.<ref>Matthews, Clifford; American Society of Mechanical Engineers (2005), ASME engineer's data book (2nd ed.), ASME Press, p. 249, ISBN 978-0-7918-0229-8.</ref> Most are standardized to common sizes, but customs are also common for specialized applications.<ref name="bhandari">Bhandari, V. B. (2007), Design of machine elements (2nd ed.), Tata McGraw-Hill, p. 10, ISBN 978-0-07-061141-2.</ref>

Machine elements may be features of a part (such as screw threads or integral plain bearings) or they may be discrete parts in and of themselves such as wheels, axles, pulleys, rolling-element bearings, or gears. All of the simple machines may be described as machine elements, and many machine elements incorporate concepts of one or more simple machines. For example, a leadscrew incorporates a screw thread, which is an inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder.

Many mechanical design, invention, and engineering tasks involve a knowledge of various machine elements and an intelligent and creative combining of these elements into a component or assembly that fills a need (serves an application).

Structural elements

1. Beams,
2. Struts,
3. Bearings,
4. Fasteners
5. Keys,
6. Splines,
7. Cotter pin,
8. Seals
9. Machine guardings

Mechanical elements

1. Engine,
2. Electric motor,
3. Actuator,
4. Shafts,
5. Couplings
6. Belt,
7. Chain,
8. Cable drives,
9. Gear train,
10. Clutch,
11. Brake,
12. Flywheel,
13. Cam,
14. follower systems,
15. Linkage,
16. Simple machine

Types

• Shafts<ref name="klebanov">Klebanov, Boris M.; Barlam, David; Nystrom, Frederic E. (2008), Machine elements: life and design, CRC Press, ISBN 978-0-8493-9563-5.</ref>
• Coupling<ref name="klebanov"/>
  • Key<ref name="bhandari"/>
  • Spline<ref name="bhandari"/>
• Bearing<ref name="bhandari"/>
  • Roller bearing
  • Plain bearing
  • Thrust bearing
  • Ball bearing
  • Linear bearing
  • Pillow block
• Gears<ref name="klebanov"/>
  • Spur gear
  • Helical gear
  • Worm gear
  • Herringbone gear
• Fastener<ref name="niemann">Niemann, Gustav; Hirt, Manfred: Maschinenelemente Springer, Berlin 1975, 1983. ISBN 0-387-06809-0.</ref>
  • Screw<ref name="bhandari"/>
    • Screw thread
  • Nut<ref name="bhandari"/>
  • Clevis fastener
  • Retaining ring
    • Circlip
    • E-ring
  • Split pin cotter pin)
  • Linchpin
  • R-clip
  • Rivet<ref name="bhandari"/>
  • Tapered pin
  • O-ring
• Belt<ref name="bhandari"/>
  • Pulleys
• Clutch<ref name="sharma">Sharma, C. S.; Purohit, Kamlesh (2004), Design of machine elements, PHI Learning, p. vii–ix, ISBN 978-81-203-1955-4.</ref>
• Brake<ref name="sharma"/>
• Chain<ref name="bhandari"/>
  • Sprocket
• Wire rope<ref name="bhandari"/>
• Power screw

See also

• Tool
• Electrical element
• Electronic component
• Mini survival kit
• Survival kit
• Repair kit
• List of sensors
• List of martial arts weapons
• Lists of weapons

External links

• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons