Inspect pre-solved models in your browser in 2 seconds (up to 300k DOF) or solve 1.5M+ DOF assemblies 100% offline on Windows and macOS.
Stepped Drive Shaft, Hub & Parallel Key
Torsional shear transfer and mating contact pressure distribution across keyway flanks under 1,950 N·m torque.
Parallel keyed connections represent standard mechanical machine elements for transmitting torque between shafts and pulleys, gears, or couplings (DIN 6885 / GOST 23360). Under heavy fluctuating torque, asymmetric bearing pressures along the key sides and high notch stress concentrations in the shaft keyway fillets are prime causes of shaft fatigue fracture and keyway wall yielding. This 3-body FEA simulation models contact across both side flanks of the parallel key, shaft slot, and hub keyway under 1,950 N·m transmitted torque.
1. Geometry & FEA Mesh
- •3 distinct solid B-Rep bodies: stepped shaft Ø50/Ø60 mm, flanged hub with Ø50 mm bore and outer drive flange, and DIN 6885 Form A parallel key (14 × 9 × 56 mm).
- •Multi-material configuration: alloyed drive steel 42CrMo4 (E = 210 GPa, ν = 0.29, yield 650 MPa) for stepped shaft; ductile cast iron EN-GJS-500-7 (E = 169 GPa, ν = 0.28, yield 320 MPa) for hub; normalized carbon steel C45 (E = 206 GPa, ν = 0.30, yield 370 MPa) for parallel key.
- •Conformal tetrahedral mesh across all 3 bodies with 97,683 elements, 20,228 nodes, and 60,684 active DOFs.
- •Penalty contact formulation defined over key mating lateral flanks against shaft keyseat and hub keyway.
2. Loads & Boundary Conditions
- •Stepped shaft driven end fully constrained against rotation and translation (Ux = Uy = Uz = 0).
- •1,950 N·m torsional couple applied as tangential force pair (2 × 15.0 kN at pitch radius R = 65 mm) across the hub outer flange bolt holes.
- •Cylindrical clearance interface allows elastic contact pressure buildup between shaft cylindrical seat and hub bore.
3. Simulation Results & Findings
- ✓Peak equivalent von Mises stress σ_vm = 194.5 MPa concentrated at the bottom fillet corner of the shaft keyway.
- ✓Bearing contact stress on the active driving flank of the key averages 112 MPa, satisfying allowable limits for C45 / EN-GJS-500-7 under static and dynamic drive.
- ✓Maximum total displacement magnitude |u| = 0.0575 mm (0.058 mm) at the outer hub flange rim under torsional wrap.
- ✓Converged solution in 0.32 s runtime with smooth contact pressure transfer across all mating interfaces.
Mechanical engineers evaluate keyway notch factors, shaft twisting, and contact bearing stresses directly in WebCAE in sub-second cycles. Instant feedback on key length and fillet radius eliminates weeks of physical shaft testing and prevents costly in-service keyway wall shearing.
14 days of full Pro access. The first charge occurs only after 14 days unless canceled beforehand.
- ✓14-Day Trial ($0 Today) (cancel anytime)
- ✓Up to 1.5M+ DOFs (direct sparse solver)
- ✓Native Windows & macOS Apps (100% offline)
- ✓Nonlinear Contact & Buckling (Kσ, MITC4, RBE2/RBE3)
Ask an Engineer About Your Model
Describe your part, load case, or CAD format — we reply within 2 business hours.
Want an instant answer on FEA theory or this model?
Click the AI chat button in the bottom-right corner to ask about boundary conditions, stress criteria, mesh convergence, or DSL scripting.
More Engineering Simulation Cases
Involute Spur Gear Pair in Tooth Contact
Two-Stage Cast Gearbox Housing
Aerospace Clevis, Lug & Shear Pin Joint
