KEVOS® MAKEOS · Fasteners
Retaining Ring Thrust Capacity and Groove Edge Margin
What thrust load can this retaining ring and groove carry, and how far from the end must the groove be?
Allowable thrust on a retaining ring application by the handbook formulas: ring shear capacity, the load at the onset of groove yielding for spiral-wound rings, the governing (lower) value, and the minimum distance of the groove from the end of the shaft or bore.
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How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Shaft or housing diameter | mm | Diameter of the shaft or bore carrying the ring. |
| Ring thickness | mm | Thickness of the ring. |
| Groove depth | mm | Depth of the groove. |
| Shear strength of the ring material | MPa | Shear strength of the ring material (from the ring supplier). |
| Yield strength of the groove material | MPa | Compressive yield strength of the grooved part. |
| Shear strength of the groove material | MPa | Shear strength of the grooved part. |
| Safety factor | Safety factor (the handbook notes 3 is usual for ring shear). | |
| Applied thrust load | kN | Axial load the ring must hold. |
| Ring type | choice | Spiral rings contact the whole groove; stamped rings only part of it. |
| Groove contact fraction (stamped) | % | Share of the groove circumference a stamped ring touches. |
Method and formulas
- Ring shear: P_s = π D t S_s ÷ K.
- Groove yield onset: P_G = π D d S_y ÷ K (× contact fraction for stamped rings).
- Allowable thrust = the lower of the two; minimum groove distance from the end Y = K P ÷ (π D S_c).
- Example: a 25 mm shaft with a 0.5 mm groove in 250 MPa steel allows 3.2725 kN.
Limitations
- Static thrust with square groove corners and line-to-line contact; chamfers and corner radii on the retained part reduce capacity.
- Use the ring supplier’s ratings for final selection.
- Example values are illustrations. Replace them with values for your actual task.
Typical uses
- Check a circlip or spiral ring against an axial load
- Choose groove material and depth for a higher thrust
- Locate a groove safely near a shaft end
Who it is for
- Design engineers
- Maintenance engineers
- Assembly engineers
What you get
- Ring shear capacity
- Groove yield capacity
- Minimum groove distance from the end
Interpreting the result
- Groove yield usually governs; a harder groove material or a deeper groove raises capacity.
References
- Machinery’s Handbook, 29th edition (Industrial Press, 2012), printed pp. 1763–1789. Topic reference; no source tables or recommended settings are reproduced.
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Open the Retaining Ring Thrust Capacity and Groove Edge Margin calculator
