Thread Pressure - Thread Stripping

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the mechanics of thread engagement, specifically focusing on the length of engagement required to prevent thread stripping and shearing in threaded connections. Participants explore the relationship between shear strength, tensile strength, and the implications of engagement length in various materials.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion about the length of engagement for 3 1/4-8UN-2A threads, noting that while a minimum of 2.68 inches is suggested to avoid stripping, using only 1.00 inch may not lead to immediate failure according to their calculations.
  • Another participant highlights that the length of engagement affects the area of thread in pressure contact and shear, and emphasizes the need to balance tensile strength of the bolt with shear strength of the thread.
  • Concerns are raised about the formulas used, suggesting they may not account for material-specific properties, particularly the ratio of shear strength to tensile strength.
  • A participant questions whether the shear strength to tensile strength ratio is always consistent, proposing a value of 1/2 for tensile strength.
  • Responses indicate that shear strength of steel typically ranges from 60% to 70% of tensile strength, while other materials like cast iron may vary significantly.
  • One participant reflects on their approach to calculating safety factors, expressing uncertainty about the relevance of their formulas and the role of shear area in their calculations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the appropriate formulas or methods for calculating thread engagement and safety factors, indicating multiple competing views and unresolved questions regarding material properties and their implications.

Contextual Notes

Participants note limitations in the formulas discussed, particularly regarding their specificity to different materials and the assumptions made about shear and tensile strength ratios.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for engineers, students, or professionals involved in mechanical design, particularly those working with threaded connections and material strength analysis.

cmarentes89
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
TL;DR
At what forces and thread engagement will my threads shear or strip.
Hello all,

So I've attached two images, one is the spread-sheet that I'm working on and the other is an image of the formulas that I'm using. I'm a bit confused on how length of engagement works for those formulas. So for 3 1/4-8UN-2A threads, with a shear strength of 44.5 KSI, the minimum length of engagement should be about 2.68 inches. From that, I understand that my engagement length should be 2.68 inches to avoid any thread stripping and/or shearing. But what if I use 1.00 inches of thread engagement engagement? The formulas shows that it would not strip when I compare the forces required and actual to strip the threads.... My ultimate goal is to determine a shear safety of factor and the minimum length of engagement at any applied pressure.
 

Attachments

  • 2.JPG
    2.JPG
    42 KB · Views: 197
  • 1.JPG
    1.JPG
    63 KB · Views: 133
Engineering news on Phys.org
cmarentes89 said:
From that, I understand that my engagement length should be 2.68 inches to avoid any thread stripping and/or shearing. But what if I use 1.00 inches of thread engagement?
Then, on some occasion the thread may strip, and you would, if you survived, be questioned by the coroner.

The formulas have a tolerance allowance for imperfections.

The length of the nut, or engagement, determines the area of thread in pressure contact and in shear. The tensile strength of the threaded portion of the bolt, must be balanced against the shear strength of the thread.

The formulas appear to be not specific to the material.
The ratio of shear strength to tensile strength in the material used, will be an important parameter.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: berkeman
Baluncore said:
Then, on some occasion the thread may strip, and you would, if you survived, be questioned by the coroner.

The formulas have a tolerance allowance for imperfections.

The length of the nut, or engagement, determines the area of thread in pressure contact and in shear. The tensile strength of the threaded portion of the bolt, must be balanced against the shear strength of the thread.

The formulas appear to be not specific to the material.
The ratio of shear strength to tensile strength in the material used, will be an important parameter.
Would definitely would never try it in real life lol.

I see, but in a ratio comparison, wont my shear strength to tensile strength always be the same? 1/2 of the tensile strength?
 
  • Informative
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: DeBangis21 and berkeman
Baluncore said:
Not always, shear strength of steel is usually between 60% and 70% of tensile strength, other materials may differ.
Cast iron may range from 0.55 to 1.25 .
https://www.engineersedge.com/materials/material_tensile_shear_and_yield_strength_15798.htm
Thank you so much for the data, it will be very helpful. So I guess my question is, I'm I looking at the wrong formulas for what I'm trying to accomplish?

I figured my material shear strength multiplied by my shear area would have give me my actual force on threads. Then compare that to my actual loading pressure multiplied by my shear area again would give me a factor of safety based on shear. But in this method, all I would have to compare is my material shear strength to my actual loading pressure.... which eliminates the shear area, so this doesn't seem right.
 

Similar threads

Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
4K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
15
Views
37K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
14K
Replies
3
Views
18K
Replies
8
Views
4K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K