Interference fit

Interference fit
An interference fit, also known as a press fit or friction fit,[1] is a fastening between two parts which is achieved by
friction after the parts are pushed together, rather than by any other means of fastening.
For metal parts in particular, the friction that holds the parts together is often greatly increased by compression of
one part against the other, which relies on the tensile and compressive strengths of the materials the parts are made
from. Typical examples of interference fits are the press fitting of shafts into bearings or bearings into their housings
and the attachment of watertight connectors to cables. An interference fit also results when pipe fittings are
assembled and tightened.

Introducing interference between parts

An interference fit is generally achieved by shaping the two mating parts so that one or the other, or both, slightly
deviate in size from the nominal dimension. The word interference refers to the fact that one part slightly interferes
with the space that the other is taking up.
For example, a shaft may be ground slightly oversize and the hole in the bearing (through which it is going to pass
with an interference fit) may be ground slightly undersized. When the shaft is pressed into the bearing, the two parts
interfere with each other's occupation of space. The result is that both parts elastically deform slightly to fit together
creating an extremely high force which results in extremely high friction between the partsso high that even large
amounts of torque cannot turn one of them relative to the other; they are locked together and turn in unison.

Tightness of fit
The tightness of fit is controlled by amount of interference; the "allowance". Formulas exist to compute this
allowance (planned difference from nominal size) that will result in various strengths of fit such as loose fit, light
interference fit, and interference fit. The value of the allowance depends on which material is being used, how big
the parts are, and what degree of tightness is desired. Such values have already been worked out in the past for many
standard applications, and they are available to engineers in the form of tables, obviating the need for re-derivation.
Thus if a loose fit is desired for a 10mm (unknown operator: u'strong'in) shaft made of 303 stainless steel, the
engineer can look up the needed allowance in a reference book or computer program, rather than using a formula to
calculate it.

Assembling
There are two basic methods for assembling an oversize shaft into an undersized hole, sometimes used in
combination:
1. force,
2. thermal expansion or contraction.

Force
There are at least three different terms used to describe an interference fit created via force: press fit, friction fit, and
hydraulic dilation.[2][3]
Press fit is achieved with presses that can press the parts together with very large amounts of force. The presses are
generally hydraulic, although small hand-operated presses (such as arbor presses) may operate by means of the
mechanical advantage supplied by a jackscrew or by a gear reduction driving a rack and pinion. The amount of force
applied in hydraulic presses may be anything from a few pounds for the tiniest parts to hundreds of tons for the
largest parts.

Interference fit
Often the edges of shafts and holes are chamfered (beveled). The chamfer forms a guide for the pressing movement,
helping to distribute the force evenly around the circumference of the hole, to allow the compression to occur
gradually instead of all at once, thus helping the pressing operation to be smoother, to be more easily controlled, and
to require less power (less force at any one instant of time), and to assist in aligning the shaft parallel with the hole it
is being pressed into.

Thermal expansion or contraction

Most materials expand when heated and shrink when cooled. Enveloping parts are heated (e.g., with torches or gas
ovens) and assembled into position while hot, then allowed to cool and contract back to their former size, except for
the compression that results from each interfering with the other. This is also referred to as shrink-fitting. Railroad
axles, wheels, and tires are typically assembled in this way. Alternatively, the enveloped part may be cooled before
assembly such that it slides easily into its mating part. Upon warming, it expands and interferes. Cooling is often
preferable as it is less likely than heating to change material properties, e.g., assembling a hardened gear onto a shaft,
where the risk exists of heating the gear too much and drawing its temper.

References
[1] Alan O. Lebeck (1991). Principles and design of mechanical face seals (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=RnOZ4zl6CRMC&
pg=PA232& dq="Friction+ fit"+ "interference+ fit"+ "press+ fit"& lr=& ei=8YNkS4L2KJH2NPGp_IsO& cd=1#v=onepage& q="Friction fit"
"interference fit" "press fit"& f=false). Wiley-Interscience. p.232. ISBN978-0-471-51533-3. .
[2] Heinz P. Bloch (1998). Improving machinery reliability (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=pBhKQu8WwL8C& pg=PA216&
dq="Friction+ fit"+ "interference+ fit"& lr=& ei=f4BkS4HmAabuNN3AvYoO& cd=2#v=onepage& q="Friction fit" "interference fit"&
f=false) (3rd ed.). Gulf Professional Publishing. p.216. ISBN978-0-88415-661-1. .
[3] "Coupling Design and Selection" (http:/ / www. emerson-ept. com/ EPTRoot/ kopflex/ Engineered/ FAQ/ design. htm). . Retrieved
2010-01-30.

External links
Diagram of an interference fit (http://engineeronadisk.com/notes_manufact/assemblya3.html)
Interference fitting (http://www.eminebea.com/content/html/en/engineering/bearings/shaftbrg_10.shtml) formulae for calculating clearance reductions when using interference fits for bearings on shafts and in housings

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Interference fit Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=497185316 Contributors: A2Kafir, Anachron, AndrewDressel, BAxelrod, Balok, Bbaddorf, BenFrantzDale,
Bigdumbdinosaur, Cstaffa, DerrickOswald, Dispenser, Evand, HPeugeot, Hashem62, Hooperbloob, Longhair, Lumbercutter, Otrfan, Peter Horn, Reelrt, Regofix, Rlsheehan, S Roper, Sameer
pandya, SamuelRiv, Sole Soul, Sourgreentomatoes, Tagishsimon, Three-quarter-ten, VBGFscJUn3, Wizard191, Xchbla423, Ymulleneers, 26 anonymous edits

License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/