Applied mechanics (CE 101T)

(simple machines)
By:
Poonam Savsani
Department of Mechanical Engineering
School of Technology

1
 Simple machine

Machine – a tool that helps us do work

Machines help us by:

1. Changing the amount of force on an object.

2. Changing the direction of the force.

A simple machine is a device with the help of which heavy loads

are lifted by applying small effort in a convenient direction.
• Machines do not reduce the amount of work
for us, but they can make it easier.

• There are six types of simple machines which

form the basis for all mechanical machines
today.
Simple Machines

Screw Wedge
Inclined Plane

Pulley Wheel and Axle

Lever
 What is a Simple Machine?
• A simple machine ha
s few or no moving p
arts.
• Simple machines ma
ke work easier.
• Simple machine is a
device in which effort
is applied at one plac
e and work is done at
some other place.
• Simple machines are
run manually, not by
electric power.
• Simple machines are "simple" because most have o
nly one moving part.
• Remember, a machine is any device that makes work
easier. In science, "work" means making something
move.
• It's important to know that when you use a simple ma
chine, you're actually doing the same amount of work
— it just seems easier.
• A simple machine reduces the amount of effort neede
d to move something.
Have you ever tried to unscrew a nut, bolt, o
r screw from something with your bare hand
s and discovered that it was just too tight to l
oosen even if you had a good grip?
 You got the proper tool,
such as a
screw driver or wrench,
and unscrewed it!
Why is it that it's so easy to
unscrew with a tool when you
can't with your bare hands?
The wrench and screw driver are examples of a whe
el and axle, where the screw or bolt is the axle and the
handle is the wheel. The tool makes the job easier b
y changing the amount of the force you exert.

Wheel
Axle
All of the simple machines can be us
ed for thousands of jobs from lifting
a 500-N weight to making a boat
go. The reason why these machines
are so special is because they make
difficult tasks much easier.
 What is a Compound machine?

Simple Machines
can be put together
in different ways to
make complex
machinery.

If a machine, consists of many simple machines, it is
called compound machine.

Such machines are run by electric or mechanical power.

Such machines work at higher speed.

Using compound machines more work is done at less
effort.

For Ex: scooter, Lathe, crane, grinding machine etc.
 What is a Lifting machine ?

Lifting machine is a device

in which heavy load can be
lifted by less effort.
e.g. - simple pulley
- simple screw jack
- lift
- crane. etc.

6 - 14
 Technical terms Related to Simple Machines

• Load: This is the resistance to be overcome by the machine.

• Effort: This is the force required to overcome the resistance to get the work
done by the machine.

Mechanical advantage (MA) :

The ratio of load lifted (W) and effort required (P) is called Mechanical
advantage.
Load Lifted W
MA = ∴ MA =
Effort required P

Where, W= Load and P= Effort

 Technical terms Related to Simple Machines

Velocity ratio (VR) :

The ratio of distance moved by effort and the distance
moved by load is called velocity ratio.

Distance moved by effort y

VR = ∴ VR =
Distance moved by load x

Input

Input = effort x distance moved by effort

Input = p.y

Output:

Output = load x distance moved by load

Output = W.x
• Efficiency (η ) :

The ratio of work done by the machine and work done on the machine is
called efficiency of the machine.
output
Efficiency = × 100 %
input
Output = W . x & input = P . y
W.x W/P
∴η = × 100 = × 100
P.y y/x
MA
= × 100 %
VR

Ideal machine :

A machine having 100% efficiency is called an ideal machine.

In an Ideal machine friction is zero.

For Ideal machine,
Output = input or MA=VR

Effort lost in friction (Pf):
In a simple machine, effort required to overcome the friction between
various parts of a machine is called effort lost in friction.
Let, P = effort
Po = effort for Ideal machine • effort lost in friction.
Pf = effort lost in friction Pf=P - Po

For Ideal machine, VR = MA
VR=W/Po
Po= W/VR
Pf = P-Po
Pf= P-(W/VR)

Reversible machine :

If a machine is capable of doing some work in the reverse directio
n, after the effort is removed is called reversible machine.

For reversible machine, η ≥ 50%

Non-reversible machine or self-locking machine

If a machine is not capable of doing some work in the reverse dire
ction, after the effort is removed, is called non-reversible machine
or self-locking machine.

For non-reversible machine, η < 50%

A car resting on a screw jack does not come down on the removal
of the effort. It is an example of non-reversible machine.

Condition for reversibility of machine :
W = load lifted
P = effort required
x = distance moved by load
y = distance moved by effort
P.y = input
W.x = output

Machine friction = P.y – W.x

for a machine to reverse,
output > machine friction
∴ W.x > P.y – W.x
∴ 2 W.x > p.y
W. x 1
∴ ≥
P. y 2
Output
∴ ≥ 0 .5
Input
∴ η ≥ 50%
For a machine to reverse, η ≥ 50%
 Law of machine

The law of machine is given by relation,

P= mW+C

Where,
P = effort applied
W= load lifted
m = constant (coefficient of friction)
= slope of line AB
C= Constant
= Machine Friction= OA

Following observations are made from the graph :

On a machine, if W = 0, effort C is required to run the machine. Hence, effort
C is required to overcome machine friction.

If line AB crosses x-x axis. without effort (P), some load be lifted, which is
impossible. Hence, line AB never crosses x-x axis.

If line AB passes through origin, no effort is required to balance friction. Such
a graph is for Ideal machine.
Maximum mechanical advantage
W
MA =
P
from law of machine P = mW + C
W 1 C
∴ MA = = (Q neglecting )
mW + C C W
m+
W
1
Maxi. MA =
m
W
MA =
Maximum efficiency ( η max ) P
from law of machine P = mW + C
MA
∴η =
VR

1
m 1
∴η = (MA = MA max = )
VR m
1
∴ η max =
m x VR
Relation Between Load Lifted and the Mechanical Advantage

As the load increases, the effort also

increases and the M. A. increases
The maximum M. A. is equal to 1/m.

6 - 23
Relation Between Load Lifted and the Efficiency

As the load and effort increases, efficiency

also increases.
The maximum efficiency is equal to
1/(m x VR)
In a simple machine, whose velocity ratio is 30, a load of 2400 N is lifted
by an effort of 150 N and a load of 3000 N is lifted by an effort of 180 N.
Find the law of machine and calculate the load that could be lifted by a fo
rce of 200 N. Calculate also:
(1) The amount of effort wasted in overcoming the friction,
(2) Mechanical advantage, and
(3) The efficiency.

solution
 Simple Machine

• Following are the simple machines.

Simple Wheel and Axle

Differential wheel and axle

Worm and Worm Wheel

Single purchase Crab

Double Purchase Crab

screw jack
 Simple Wheel and Axle

WHEEL AND AXLE : A wheel and ax
le is a modification of a pulley.

A wheel is fixed to a shaft.

Large wheel fixed to smaller wheel

(or shaft) called an axle

Both turn together

Effort usually on larger wheel, moving

load of axle
When either the wheel or axle
turns, the other part also turns.
One full revolution of either part
causes one full revolution of the
other part.
DIFFERENTIAL WHEEL AND AXLE

• In this machine load axle is made in two parts having two different diam
eters d1 and d2.
• When effort is applied to rotate the assembly at that time string is woun
d over larger axle (d1) and unwound from the smaller axle (d2).
In a wheel and axle, diameter of the wheel is 500 mm and that of the axle is
200 mm. The thickness of the cord on the wheel is 6 mm and that of the axle
is 20 mm. Find the velocity ratio of the machine. If the efficiency when lifting
a load of 1200 N with a velocity of 10 metres per minute is 70%, find the
effort necessary

Solution:
 MA
η =
VR
A load of 20 kN is to be lifted by a differential wheel and axle. It consists of
differential axle of 250 mm and 300 mm diameter and the wheel diameter is
800 mm. Find the effort required if the efficiency of the machine is 55%.
 CRAB WINCH

Winch crabs are lifting machines in which

velocity ratio is increased by a gear system
.

If only one set of gears is used, the winch
crab is called a single purchase winch crab
and if two sets are used it is called double
purchase winch crab.
SINGLE PURCHASE CRAB WINCH

the distance moved by the effort

is given by:
D = 2πR
DOUBLE PURCHASE CRAB WINCH
Following are the specifications of a single purchase crab:
Diameter of the load drum = 200 mm
Length of lever arm R = 1.2 m
Number of teeth on pinion, T1 = 10
Number of teeth on spur wheel, T2 = 100.
Find the velocity ratio of this machine. On this machine efforts of 100 N and 160 N
are required to lift the load of 3 kN and 9 kN, respectively. Find the law of the mac
hine and the efficiencies at the above loads.
In a double purchase crab, the pinions have 15 and 20 teeth, while the spu
r wheels have 45 and 40 teeth. The effort handle is 400 mm while the effect
ive diameter of the drum is 150 mm. If the efficiency of the winch is 40%, w
hat load will be lifted by an effort of 250 N applied at the end of the handle?
Screw jack
A screw jack raises a load of 40 kN. The screw is square threaded having
three threads per 20 mm length and 40 mm in diameter. Calculate the force
required at the end of a lever 400 mm long measured from the axis of the
screw, if the coefficient of friction between screw and nut is 0.12.

tan ϕ = µ = 0.12