A course in Design of Machine Elements (aka Machine Design in some programs) is a required part of most Mechanical Engineering curricula in the world. Textbooks for this course are usually divided into two halves: 1) development of failure theories, and 2) design, analysis, and selection of individual machine components such as bearings, flexible power elements (belts, chains), gears, shafts, springs, threaded members, etc. Analytical methods for these individual components are presented at a very general level to provide the student with a broad understanding of the technical issues involved. While this broad understanding provides a good starting point, there is not enough technical detail to facilitate the selection of an actual component from a vendor. In engineering practice, detailed information regarding selection and application of a particular machine component often comes from engineering guides that are supplied by component vendors. A good example of this is the selection of rolling-element bearings. Machine design textbooks present a general description of bearing types, present a few mounting strategies, and give basic bearing life calculations. In practice, roller element bearings are manufactured in a wide number of variations that are intended for specific conditions of use and specific mounting geometry. Engineering guides from the major bearing vendors contain extensive information on proper mounting, allowable loads, and load types, sealing and lubrication, and allowable environment. In practice, engineers use these guides to learn the details involved in selection and application of roller bearings. The author contends that effective use of vendor-supplied engineering guides is a significant skill in engineering practice, in addition to the fundamentals of Machine Design, and is a big missing piece in many curricula.
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