Grooved Pins > Technical Data and Performance > Shear Strength

The Shear Strength Table below shows the force required to shear low-carbon steel, corrosion-resistant steel, and heat-treated alloy steel Groov-Pins when loaded in double shear using a fixture as described in the Double Shear Test section (beneath the table on this page).

Shaft Size

The recommended pin diameters are maximum for a given shaft size, and are based on the low-carbon steel pins in double shear. These pin diameters should not be exceeded to avoid distortion or fracture of the shaft.

Maximum Torque

If the torque to be transmitted by the shaft is known, the proper diameter pin can be selected from the table. The torque figures are also based on low-carbon steel in double shear and include a safety factor of 8. For other materials, torque figures can be adjusted by multiplying by the ratio of double shear strength of the material to that of low-carbon steel.

Horsepower Transmission

The table maximum horsepower which can be transmitted by a shaft to another machine element connected to the shaft by a Groov-Pin under double shear load. The material assumed was low-carbon steel and a safety factor of 8 was used.

Nominal Pin Diam.
in.
Cross Section Area
sq. in.
Low-Carbon Steel Pin Double Shear Strength
lbs.
Corrosion Resistant Steel Pin Double Shear Strength
lbs.
Alloy Steel Pin (Rockwell C40-48) Double Shear Strength
lbs.
Shaft Size
in.
Maximum Torque Low-Carbon Steel Pin
in. lbs.
Hp Transmitted @ 100 rpm Low Carbon Steel Pin
Hp
1/32
0.0008
100
140
180
3/32
0.5
0.001
3/64
0.0017
220
300
400
9/64
1.9
0.003
1/16
0.0031
400
540
720
3/16
4.7
0.007
5/64
0.0048
620
860
1,120
7/32
8.4
0.014
3/32
0.0069
890
1,240
1,600
1/4
14.0
0.022
7/64
0.0094
1,220
1,680
2,180
5/16
23.8
0.038
1/8
0.0123
1,600
2,200
2,820
3/8
37.4
0.059
5/32
0.0192
2,300
3,310
4,520
7/16
1/2
62.9
71.7
0.100
0.113
3/16
0.0276
3,310
4,760
6,440
9/16
116.4
0.185
7/32
0.0376
4,510
6,480
8,770
5/8
11/16
176.0
193.5
0.280
0.308
1/4
0.0491
5,880
8,460
11,500
3/4
13/16
7/8
275.6
298.6
320.5
0.438
0.474
0.511
5/16
0.0767
7,660
12,700
17,900
5/16
1
1-1/16
448.5
478.3
500.6
0.712
0.759
0.744
3/8
0.1104
11,000
18,200
26,000
1-1/8
1-3/16
1-1/4
773.6
818.0
860.1
1.22
1.30
1.36
7/16
0.1503
15,000
24,800
35,200
1-5/16
1-3/8
1-7/16
1,233
1,290
1,349
1.95
2.05
2.14
1/2
0.1963
19,600
32,400
46,000
1-1/2
1,836
2.91

Double Shear Test
Shear Test Fixture

This schematic drawing shows a standard fixture for performing a double shear test. Hardened bushings support the sample with holes the size of the pin under test. The pin is placed in the fixture where a shear load is applied perpendicular to the pin axis in two places.
Shear Test Fixture

A double shear test should be performed in a suitable fixture such as the one shown at the right. In general, fixture bushings to support the pin and to apply the shear load must have holes conforming to the requirements specified for the pin type being tested. These bushings must have a minimum hardness of Rockwell C58, or equivalent. The clearance between the supporting bushing and the loading bushing must not exceed 0.005". The load must be aligned perpendicular to the axis of the pin and the rate of load application must be less than or equal to .05 inches per minute.

Additionally, the shear planes must be located at least one pin diameter from the ends of the pin and must be at least two pin diameters apart. Pins which are too short to be tested in double shear are evaluated by testing two pins simultaneously in a single shear.







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