Purdue University Northwest

Module :
Lesson Plan #3 Mechanics I MET 215, Fall 18
LAB 2

Topics: Understanding Mechanical Drives and Safety

Lesson Goals:

 Convert between English and SI units of motor power

 Measure electric motor current
 Mechanical Efficiency
 Describe the function of a foundation and give three types
 Describe 3 types of motor mounts and give an application of each
 Describe how to select fastener size and type for a motor mount

Textbook(s):

 Handouts will be provided

Instructor’s Reference Book(s):

 Lab-Volt learning materials

Lecture:

1. Convert between English and SI units of motor power

Using the formulas below, we can convert motor power values from US Customary to SI units. This task mus
learn if we work with products made in both, the United States and other countries.

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2. Measure electric motor current

Measuring the electric motor’s input current is a way to monitor the efficiency of a mechanical drive system.
efficiency decreases, the motor’s current will increase. This shows that the load of the drive has increased.
There are three methods by which motor current can be measured.
 Clamp-on ammeter
 Hand-held ammeter
 Built-in ammeter
A clamp-on ammeter can be opened and placed around a wire in which you want to measure the current. This
convenient because it allows you to measure current without disconnecting the circuit and connecting the me
series. This is particularly important for AC power applications where the current level is often quite high and
dangerous.

3.Mechanical Efficiency

One of the problems with power transmission equipment of any kind is that the power output is always less th
power input. This is because there are frictional elements in the transmission that cause some of the power to

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to heat.
The ratio of the Power out to the Power in is the Power Efficiency. If it is describing the power lost trough a
mechanical drive system, it is the Mechanical Power Efficiency. The f-la is shown below:

Lab #1 :Work order #5 (Introduction to Mechanical Drive Systems Lab-Volt Manual)

4. Describe the function of a foundation and give three types

A foundation is the structure that supports the machine. The foundation for a machine is important to its life a
performance.
It must be designed to perform three functions.
 Support the load of the machine without settling
 Maintain the alignment between coupled components
 Absorb any vibrations created by the machine or surrounding equipment

The foundations of most heavy equipment consists of one of three materials:

 Solid concrete
 Reinforced concrete
 Structural steel
The solid concrete foundation is best, but the reinforced concrete or structural steel foundations are less expen

On the figure below is shown a typical concrete foundation.

It is very important to mount the driver of the mechanical transmission in such way that it can be aligned with
mechanical devices it is to drive and that its alignment is maintained during operation. A machine that has
independent components must be aligned with each other should not be mounted directly to a foundation.

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Instead, mount the machine to a bedplate, which is mounted to the foundation.

The bedplate is a solid piece of metal, usually made of steel. It provides a rigid, level surface for mounting w
helps with components alignment. The bed plate is anchored to the foundation with anchor bolts and is filled
grout. Also, before anchoring the bedplate, it should be leveled.

Leveling can be done with Spirit Level.

There are many applications where it is important to orient a surface so that it is either parallel or perpendicul
the ground. This is commonly done in building construction with walls and floors ,as well as in industry with
machinery.

Lab#2:Use a Level to determine orientation of a Surface

5.Describe three types of motor mounts and give an application of each

The motor that drives a mechanical transmission can be mounted to bed plate in one of three ways:
 Foot mount
 C-Face Mount
 Adjustable Mount

Foot Mount:

The foot mount is simple and common method of mounting an electrical motor. Smaller motors often have a
piece steel plate with four holes in it.

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C-Face Mount:

One of the problems with a foot mount is that the motor must be carefully aligned with the other components
connected to it. The C-face mounting method solves the problem by mounting the driven component directly
motor face.
This requires the motor and the driven component to have a special face called C-face, which have a flange a
holes. The C-face still requires some alignment but it is much less tedious process than the foot mount.

Adjustable Mount:

An adjustable motor mount is a third method of motor mounting used with a foot mount. With the adjustable
mount the motor is mounted on a bedplate. The adjustable motor mount contains a screw that can move the m
back and forth on one axis. This allows the motor to be moved without having to loosen the mounting bolts.

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6.Describe how to select fastener size and type for a motor mount

When selecting a fastener to use with a motor mount, take care to pick the correct fastener .There are several
features to consider when selecting a fastener.

 Diameter
 Grade
 Length
 Tread type
 Washer thickness
 Nut thickness and grade

The bolt size should be as large as possible to fit trough the hole in the foot mount and still allow a little room
alignment.
This means that you should select a bolt diameter that fills up most of the mounting hole, but not all. For exam
7/16 inch bolt could be used for a ½ inch hole.

The bolt grade should be either a grade 5 or for heavier applications a grade 8.This is because the higher the g
bolt has a larger value of strength.
The markings on the bolt head identify the grade of the bolt. The grade of the bolt is the number of raised line
the head plus two.

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-Three raised lines indicate a grade 5

A nut should have the same grade as the bolt. Dots identify the grade of a nut.

The initial length of the bolt is determined by the thickness of the parts, washers, and nut. Once that has been
determined, the final length is selected as the next longer standard bolt length. Common sized bolt lengths are
typically available in ¼ inch increments.

He course thread type (UNC) is commonly used for motor mounting applications. Assembly and disassembly
UNC is quicker than the Unified Fine because it has fewer threads per inch.

The nut thickness varies depending on the size of the bolt. For most applications, the thickness of the nut sho
equal the root diameter of the bolt’s threads.

Only use thicker or thinner nuts in special cases, such as when there is limited assembly space.

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Nuts can be obtained in the same grades as bolts. A nut should not be used that has a lower grade than the bol
used with. As we discussed the grade markings on nuts are typically raised dots or slashes arranged in a patte
determined by engineering standards.

Treads characteristics and representation:

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Learning activity #1 :

Select the proper bolt size given the information provided below:

The Table for the grade of bolts was provided previously:

Answer:
a) 5/8”
b) 3/4"
c) 5/16”
d) 1/2”

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Learning activity #2:

Select the correct bolt length to use for the picture below, using the minimum bolt length of 3.905 inches.

Answer:
a) 4 in
b) 4-1/2 in
c) 3-1/2 in
d) 3 in

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Learning activity #3:

Select the best bolt for the given picture below. Use the bolt sizes table to determine the thickness of the nut.
minimum bolt length is determined, select the shortest standard size bolt that is longer than the minimum and
at least three threads below the nut.

Answer:
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Learning activity #4

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HW questions:

1. The output of power transmission equipment is always ___________than the power input.

2. The mechanical power efficiency will __________as the machine wears.

3. In most cases you can more easily monitor the efficiency of a power transmission by measuring the
______drawn by the motor.

4. As the efficiency of a motor decreases, the motor current will_________.

5. The torque delivered by motor can be measured by using ___________or a dynamometer.

6. A foundation has three functions: support the load of the machine, maintain alignment between couple
components, and ______________________.

7. A foundation for heavy equipment can be made from solid concrete, reinforced concrete,
and________________.

8. A (n) ______________placed on a foundation provides a rigid, level surface for mounting component

9. A spirit level is used to measure _____________and parallelism of a surface with the ground.

10. The nut thickness varies depending on the ___________ of the bolt.

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