Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering

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 Contents
1 Basics of Mechanical Engineering 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Basic concepts 2
1.3 Units of engineering quantities 5
1.4 Friction 6
1.5 Summary 9

2 Mechanical Drawings 11
A Types of lines and letters used in drawings 11
2.1 Types of lines 11
2.2 Lettering in the drawings 14
2.3 Summary for Section A 15
B Projections 15
2.4 What is projection? 15
2.5 Pictorial projections 17
2.6 Concept of cutting plane and sectional views 18
2.7 Summary of Section B 23
C Dimensioning 23
2.8 Different systems of dimensioning 23
2.9 Dimensioning practices 23
2.10 Summary of Section C 25
D Assembly drawings 25
2.11 Summary of Section D 26
E Welded joints 26
2.12 Types of welded joints 27
2.13 Summary of Section E 29
F Bolt, nut and screw fasteners 29
2.14 Introduction 29
2.15 Summary of Section F 31
G Keys, keyways and keyed assemblies 31
2.16 Types of keys 32
2.17 Summary of Section G 33
H Tolerance, limits and fits 34
2.18 Concept of tolerance 34
2.19 Concept of limits 35
2.20 Concept of fit 36
2.21 Summary of Section H 37
I The role of CAD and CAM 38
2.22 Use of computers for preparation of drawings 38
2.23 CAD software 38
2.24 Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) 39
 2.25 Summary of Section I 39
J Office practice 39
2.26 Drawing number and part name 39
2.27 Summary of Section J 40

3 Engineering Materials 41
3.1 Mechanical properties of materials 41
3.2 Processing of metals and alloys 43
3.3 Stress and strain in metals 46
3.4 Normal stress and shear stress 48
3.5 Tensile and hardness testing 48
3.6 Stress and strain diagram 52
3.7 Alloy production and properties 55
3.8 Fracture of metals 60
3.9 Corrosion types and control 64
3.10 Summary 65

4 Mechanical Design 67
4.1 Introduction 67
4.2 Codes and standards 70
4.3 Design considerations 70
4.4 Factory of safety 76
4.5 Mechanical components 77
4.6 Fasteners/screwed joints 105
4.7 Fastener failure 111
4.8 Compression members 115
4.9 Summary 120

5 Mechanical Engineering Codes and Standards 123

5.1 Need for standardization 124
5.2 Overview of standards 124
5.3 Benefits of standardization 125
5.4 Mechanical engineering standards 126
5.5 ISO 9000/1 126
5.6 Six-sigma 128
5.7 Summary 129

6 Manufacturing 131
6.1 Foundry processing 131
6.2 Heat treatment 134
6.3 Hot working of metals 135
6.4 Cold working of metals 137
6.5 Pressing 139
6.6 Numerical control 142
6.7 Sawing 146
 6.8 Broaching 146
6.9 Shapers and shaping 147
6.10 Welding 147
6.11 Brazing 148
6.12 Computer-aided manufacturing 149
6.13 Manufacturing processes in oil and gas industry 150
6.14 Summary 150

7 Mechanical Automation 151

7.1 Sensors and actuators 151
7.2 Differential transformers 158
7.3 Velocity and motion 162
7.4 Fluid pressure measurement 164
7.5 Liquid flow measurement 165
7.6 Liquid level measurement 167
7.7 Temperature measurement 168
7.8 Light sensors 169
7.9 Selection of sensors 170
7.10 Pneumatics and hydraulics 170
7.11 Control valves 172
7.12 Cylinders 176
7.13 Electrical actuation 178
7.14 Electrical drives 180
7.15 Electrical machines 181
7.16 Gear motors 186
7.17 Control systems 187
7.18 Summary 192

8 Fluid Engineering 195

8.1 Pumps 195
8.2 Compressors 207
8.3 Turbines 211
8.4 Flow in pipes 217
8.5 Thermodynamics 223
8.6 Reversibility 228
8.7 Summary 229

9 Maintenance of Machinery 231

9.1 The need for maintenance 231
9.2 Types of maintenance 232
9.3 Maintenance strategies 233
9.4 Failure 234
9.5 How to select your maintenance plan 235
9.6 Predictive maintenance techniques 236
9.7 Summary 244
10 Theory of Heat Transfer 245
10.1 Heat basics 245
10.2 Heat transfer 247
10.3 Laws of Thermodynamics 249
10.4 Thermal cycles 251
10.5 Heat cycles 258
10.6 Heat pumps 261
10.7 Air conditioning 263
10.8 Summary 264

Exercises 265

Answers 309
 1
Basics of Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering, as its name suggests, deals with the mechanics of operation of mechanical
systems. This is the branch of engineering which includes design, analysis, testing, manufacturing
and maintenance of mechanical systems. The mechanical engineer may design a component, a
machine, a system or a process. Mechanical engineers will analyze their design using the principles
of motion, energy, and force to ensure the product functions safely, efficiently, reliably, and can be
manufactured at a competitive cost.

Learning objectives

• Basic concepts
• Units for engineering quantities
• Friction and its importance

1.1 Introduction
Mechanical engineering plays a dominant role in enhancing safety, economic vitality, enjoyment
and overall quality of life throughout the world. Mechanical engineers are concerned with the
principles of force, energy and motion.

Mechanical engineering is a diverse subject that derives its breadth from the need to design and
manufacture everything from small individual parts and devices (e.g. microscale sensors and inkjet
printer nozzles) to large systems (e.g. spacecraft and machine tools). The role of a mechanical
engineer is to take a product from an idea to the marketplace. In order to accomplish this, a broad
range of skills are needed. Since these skills are required for virtually everything that is made,
mechanical engineering is perhaps the broadest and most diverse of engineering disciplines.

Mechanical engineers play a central role in such industries as automotive (from the car chassis to
its every subsystem — engine, transmission, sensors); aerospace (airplanes, aircraft engines,
control systems for airplanes and spacecraft); biotechnology (implants, prosthetic devices, fluidic
systems for pharmaceutical industries); computers and electronics (disk drives, printers, cooling
systems, semiconductor tools); microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) (sensors, actuators,
micropower generation); energy conversion (gas turbines, wind turbines, solar energy, fuel cells);
environmental control (HVAC, air-conditioning, refrigeration, compressors); automation (robots,
data and image acquisition, recognition, control) and manufacturing (machining, machine tools,
prototyping, micro fabrication).
2 Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering

The main areas of study in this branch are:

• Materials
• Solid and fluid mechanics
• Thermodynamics
• Heat transfer
• Control, instrumentation
• Specialized mechanical engineering subjects include biomechanics, cartilage-tissue
engineering, energy conversion, laser-assisted materials processing, combustion,
MEMS, micro fluidic devices, fracture mechanics, nanomechanics, mechanisms,
micropower generation, tribology (friction and wear) and vibrations.

1.2 Basic concepts

1.2.1 Force
A foundation concepts in physics, a force may be thought of as any influence which tends to
change the motion of an object. A force can be described as the push or pull upon an object
resulting from the object's interaction with another object. Whenever there is an interaction
between two objects, there is a force upon each of the objects. When the interaction ceases, the two
objects no longer experience the force. Forces only exist as a result of an interaction.

There are four fundamental forces in the universe: the gravity force, the nuclear weak force, the
electromagnetic force, and the nuclear strong force in ascending order of strength. In mechanics,
forces are seen as the causes of linear motion, whereas the cause of rotational motion is called a
torque. The action of forces in causing motion is described by Newton's Laws.

Force is a quantity which is measured using the standard metric unit called the Newton. A Newton
is abbreviated by a "N". To say "10.0 N" means 10 Newtons of force. One Newton is the amount of
force required to give a 1 kg mass an acceleration of 1 m/s2.

Force = mass x acceleration

F = m x a = 1 kg x 1 m / s2

A force is a vector quantity — it has both magnitude and direction. To fully describe the force
acting upon an object, you must describe both the magnitude (size or numerical value) and the
direction. Thus, 10 Newtons is not a full description of the force acting upon an object. In contrast,
10 Newtons downwards is a complete description of the force acting upon an object; both the
magnitude (10 Newtons) and the direction (downwards) are given.

A torque is a special form of force that turns an axle in a given direction. It is sometimes called a
rotational force. You can create a torque by pushing on a rod or lever that rotates an axle. Likewise,
a torque on an axle can result in a linear force at a distance from the center of the axle.

Torque equals force multiplied by moment arm. Pushing on a rod that rotates an axle can create a
torque on that axle. Likewise, a torque on an axle can result in a linear force at a radius from the
center.
The relationship between torque and force is:
T = FR
or
F = T/R
where
T is the torque in newton-meters
F is the force (Newtons)
R is the radius or distance from the center to the edge (meters)
 Mechanical Engineering Basics 3

R is also sometimes called the moment arm. The force, F, is applied perpendicular to the radius,
lever or moment arm.

1.2.2 Work
Work refers to an activity involving a force and movement in the direction of the force.
A work is done on an object when the force acts on it in the direction of motion or has component
in the direction of motion.
In order to accomplish work on an object there must be a force exerted on the object and it must
move in the direction of the force.
Work = Force x distance moved in direction of force
Work is measured in joules (J ). The formula for this is:

J=Nxm

Where force is measured in Newtons and distance in meters.

For a constant force F which moves an object in a straight line from x1 to x2, the work done by the
force

Work = force x (x2-x1)

Mathematically, work can be expressed by the following equation:

W = F x d x cos Θ

where F is the force, d is the displacement, and the angle (theta) is defined as the angle between the
force and the displacement vector. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the above equation is the
angle "theta." Theta is defined as the angle between the force and the displacement.
• A force acts from the right on an object and it is displaced to the right. In such an
instance, the force vector and the displacement vector are in the same direction. Thus,
the angle between F and d is 0 degrees.

d
Θ = 0 degrees
F
• A force acts from the left on an object and it is displaced to the right. In such an
instance, the force vector and the displacement vector are in the opposite direction.
Thus, the angle between F and d is 180 degrees.

d Θ = 180 degrees

• A force acts upward on an object as it is displaced to the right. In such an instance, the
force vector and the displacement vector are at right angles to each other. Thus, the
angle between F and d is 90 degrees.

d F Θ = 90 degrees

For the more general case of a variable force F(x) which is a function of x, the work is still the area
under the force curve, and the work expression becomes an integral.
4 Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering

Work is not done when there is no motion or when the force is perpendicular to the motion.
Let us apply the work equation to determine the amount of work done by the applied force in each
of the three situations described below.

Diagram A Answer:
W = (100 N) x (5 m) x cos (0 degrees) = 500 J
The force and the displacement are given in the problem statement. It is said (or shown or implied)
that the force and the displacement are both to the right. Since F and d are in the same direction, the
angle is 0 degrees.

Diagram B Answer:
W = (100 N) x (5 m) x cos (30 degrees) = 433 J
The force and the displacement are given in the problem statement. It is said that the displacement
is to the right. It shows that the force is 30 degrees above the horizontal. Thus, the angle between F
and d is 30 degrees.

Diagram C Answer:
W = (147 N) x (5 m) x cos (0 degrees) = 735 J

1.2.3 Energy
Energy is the capacity for doing work. You must have energy to accomplish work – it is like the
"currency" for performing work. In the process of doing work, the object which is doing the work
exchanges energy with the object upon which the work is done. When the work is done on the
object it gains energy. The energy acquired by the objects upon which work is done is known as
mechanical energy.

Mechanical energy is the energy which is possessed by an object due to its motion or due to its
position. Mechanical energy can be either kinetic energy (energy of motion) or potential energy
(stored energy of position). Objects have mechanical energy if they are in motion and/or if they are
at some position relative to a zero potential energy position.

Mechanical energy = Kinetic energy + Potential energy

Potential Energy PE = mass of the object x acceleration of gravity x height of the object
 Mechanical Engineering Basics 5

PE = m x g x h
g represents the acceleration of gravity (9.8 m/s/s on Earth)

Kinetic Energy is depend on two variables: the mass and the speed
The following equation is used to represent the kinetic energy (KE) of an object.

KE = 1/ 2 x m x v 2

1.2.4 Power
Power is the rate at which work is done. It is the work/time ratio. Mathematically, it is computed
using the following equation.

Power = work / time = (force x displacement) / time

The standard metric unit of power is the Watt. As is implied by the equation for power, a unit of
power is equivalent to a unit of work divided by a unit of time. Thus, a Watt is equivalent to a
Joule/second. For historical reasons, the term ‘horsepower’ is occasionally used to describe the
power delivered by a machine. One horsepower is equivalent to approximately 750 Watts.

Most machines are designed and built to do work on objects. All machines are typically described
by a power rating. The power rating indicates the rate at which that machine can do work upon
other objects. Thus, the power of a machine is the work/time ratio for that particular machine. The
power rating relates to how rapidly the engine can accelerate the car.

1.3 Units of engineering quantities

Table 1.1 gives the most common units of engineering quantities that you will come across.

Figure 1.1 shows a representation of the linkage of basic mechanical units.

Table 1.1
Units of engineering quantities
SI units US common
Length (L) Meter m Foot ft
Time (T) Second s Second s
Mass (M) Kilogram kg Slug
Velocity (L/T) m/s ft/s
Acceleration (L/T2 ) m/ s2 ft/ s2
Force (M L/ T2) kg m / s2 = slug ft/ s2 = pound lb
Newton N
Work (M L2/ T2) N m = J joule lb ft = ft lb
Energy (M L2/ T2) joule ft lb
Power (M L2/ T3) J / s = W watts ft lb/s
6 Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering

Divided by gives
Length L Time T Speed L / T

Which with direction becomes

Velocity
Acceleration
the rate of
Mass M L / T2
Times change of velocity

gives
timesPower
lever
2
arm
3
2
Force M L / T ML /T
times distance
moved
Torque rate of doing work
M L2 / T2 Energy
Work
M L2 / T2
M L 2 / T2
Figure 1.1
Basic Mechanical units

1.4 Friction
Friction is a force that is created whenever two surfaces move or try to move across each other.
Friction always opposes the motion or attempted motion of one surface across another surface.
Friction is dependant on the texture of both surfaces and the amount of contact force pushing the
two surfaces together.

In a machine, friction reduces the ratio of output to input. An automobile, for instance, uses one-
quarter of its energy on reducing friction. Yet it is also friction in the tires that allows the car to stay
on the road, and friction in the clutch that makes it possible to drive at all. From matches to
machines to molecular structures, friction is one of the most significant phenomena in the physical
world.

There are advantages and disadvantages of friction. Since friction is a resistance force that slows
down or prevents motion, it is necessary in many applications to prevent slipping or sliding. But it
can also be a nuisance because it can hinder motion and cause the need for expending energy. A
good compromise is necessary to get just enough friction.

Disadvantages of friction:
• makes movement difficult
• machine parts get overheated
• wastes energy
• any device that has moving parts can wear out rapidly due to friction. Lubrication is
used not only to allow parts to move easier but also to prevent them from wearing out.

The force of friction is a force that resists motion when two objects are in contact. If we look at the
surfaces (Figure 1.2) of all objects, there are tiny bumps and ridges. Those microscopic peaks and
valleys catch on one another when two objects are moving past each other.
 Mechanical Engineering Basics 7

Figure 1.2
Typical surface

There are two types of friction

• Static
• Kinetic

If we try to slide two objects past each other, a small amount of force will result in no motion. The
force of friction is greater than the applied force. This is static friction. (Figure 1.3) If we apply a
little more force, the object ‘breaks free’ and slides, although we still need to apply force to keeps
the object sliding. This is kinetic friction (Figure 1.4). We need not apply quite as much force to
keep the object sliding as we originally needed to break free from the static friction.

Figure 1.3
Static friction

Figure 1.4
Kinetic friction

Figure 1.5 shows the relationship between applied force and frictional force.
8 Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering

Figure 1.5
Relationship between applied and frictional force

Let’s examine the relationship between these two forces and the applied force that creates them.
Figure 1.5 shows static frictional force increasing to a maximum with the application of a force
then dropping off sharply to a lesser value (kinetic friction) once the object starts moving. We can
conclude few points from this graph such as those listed below.

Static friction:
• Static friction fs is proportional to Fn (surface normal force)
• It is independent of area
• It reaches a maximum value (which depends on the surface materials) in preventing
motion between surfaces, and then drops to the lower value of sliding friction as the
object begins to move.

Kinetic friction:
• Kinetic friction fk is proportional to Fn
• It is also independent of area and speed of surfaces
• It is always less than static friction fk < fs (meaning it’s easier to push an object once
it’s moving)

Since friction is proportional to the force pressing the surfaces together (Fn)

f α Fn
which means that,

f / Fn = constant

This constant is known as coefficient of friction: μ (the Greek letter ‘mu’). Thus we can write the
equation as:

f = μ x Fn

Since static friction and kinetic friction are different, there is a μ for each one:

μs = coefficient of static friction

μk = coefficient of kinetic friction
Table 1.2 shows some common values of coefficients of kinetic and static friction.

Static friction fs <μs Fn

 Mechanical Engineering Basics 9

Kinetic fk = μkFn

Note that static friction is expressed as an inequality in the above equation. This is because it varies
from zero to a maximum. At the maximum value, and only at the maximum value (just before the
object moves), the static frictional force is exactly equal to μsFn, or
fs max = μs Fn

Coefficient of friction μ = f / Fn

Table 1.2
Some common values of coefficients of kinetic and static friction

µ (static) µ (kinetic)
Surfaces
μs μk
Steel on steel 0.74 0.57
Glass on glass 0.94 0.40
Metal on Metal
0.15 0.06
(lubricated)
Ice on ice 0.10 0.03
Teflon on Teflon 0.04 0.04
Tire on concrete 1.00 0.80
Tire on wet road 0.60 0.40
Tire on snow 0.30 0.20

These values are approximate.

1.5 Summary
Mechanical Engineering deals with mechanics of operation on different systems. The various
functions that fall within the scope of this branch are designing, manufacturing and maintenance.
For this purpose it uses laws of physics and applies them to analyze their performance.

Friction is a force which is created when two surfaces move across each other. It plays very
important role in some situations like walking, writing, etc. where you could not do without the
force of friction. In some cases friction is less required, so compromise is required.
10 Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering