Engineering guides
Practical how-to guides for everyday mechanical calculations — each explains the method to its governing standard, works a numeric example, and links to the calculator that runs it.
Structural
- Beam Deflection Formulas for Common Load CasesClosed-form beam deflection formulas for simply supported, cantilever and fixed-fixed beams under point loads and UDLs — with a verified worked example and a free online calculator.
- Column Buckling: Euler vs Johnson — Which Formula to UseHow to choose between the Euler and Johnson buckling formulas, compute the critical load and slenderness, and apply the correct safety factor — with a worked steel column example.
- How to Design a Fillet Weld to EN 1993-1-8 — Directional Method ExplainedHow to check fillet weld strength to EN 1993-1-8 — the directional method, throat stress components σ⊥ τ⊥ τ∥, correlation factor βw, and a worked S355 bending example.
Bearings
Power Transmission
- How to Calculate Belt Drive Power, Tension and Pulley SizingCalculate belt drive power, tight-side/slack-side tension, wrap angle and belt length with the Euler–Eytelwein equation — worked example, key formulas and a free belt calculator.
- How to Calculate Press-Fit and Interference-Fit Contact Pressure (Lamé / DIN 7190)How to calculate interference-fit contact pressure using Lamé thick-wall theory (DIN 7190) — hub hoop stress, von Mises burst safety, torque capacity and a worked steel-hub example. With a free calculator.
Fasteners
Springs
Manufacturing & Metrology
Gears
Fatigue
Fluid & Thermal Systems
- Heat Exchanger Sizing: LMTD and Effectiveness-NTU MethodsHow to size and rate a heat exchanger using the LMTD method with F-correction and the effectiveness-NTU method — formulas, the F factor explained, and a fully worked counterflow example.
- Hydraulic Cylinder Force, Speed and Rod Buckling ExplainedHow to calculate hydraulic cylinder extension and retraction force, piston speed, flow rate, and piston rod buckling safety factor — with a fully worked 80 mm bore example.
- How to Calculate Pipe Pressure Drop with the Darcy-Weisbach EquationStep-by-step guide to pipe pressure drop calculation using Darcy-Weisbach and the Colebrook-White friction factor — Reynolds number, flow regime, Moody chart, and a worked DN50 turbulent-flow example.
Structural & Stress
Pumps
Mechanisms & Motion
- Sizing a Pneumatic Rack-and-Pinion Lifting MechanismSize the air cylinder and rack-and-pinion drive of a pneumatic lift: build the lift load from the weight it raises, pick a bore at the operating pressure for a safe thrust margin, and check the pinion force and torque — with a worked example and free calculators.
- Sizing a Pick-and-Place End Effector: Vacuum Pads vs GripperSize the end effector of a pick-and-place head: choose between vacuum pads and a mechanical gripper, compute the required pad diameter or grip force from the part mass and a safety factor, and check the hold — with a worked example and free calculators.
- Sizing a Pneumatic Lever or Swing ClampSize a pneumatic clamp: turn the required clamping force into a cylinder bore through the lever ratio, check the worst clamping angle, and confirm the safety factor — with a worked example and free calculators.
- Sizing a Lead-Screw or Ball-Screw Positioning StageSize the drive of a lead-screw or ball-screw positioning stage: build the friction load, convert it to screw drive torque, and reflect the carriage inertia to the motor shaft for a healthy inertia ratio — with a worked example and free calculators.
- Sizing a Rotary Index (Dial) Table MotorSize the motor of a rotary index table: sum the rotating inertias, reflect them to the motor shaft through the gearhead, check the inertia ratio, and find the acceleration torque for the index move — with a worked example and a free calculator.
- Sizing a Unit-Load Friction-Drive ConveyorSize a friction-drive conveyor that moves a discrete workpiece: turn the load and friction into a drive-pulley torque, check the gearhead margin, and get the belt speed — with a worked example and a free calculator. Not the bulk-material model.
- Calculating Linear Guide Rated Life and Static SafetyCalculate the rated life of a linear guide (LM guide / linear rail) to ISO 14728-1: nominal life in km and hours from the C/P ratio and the hardness, temperature, contact and load factors, plus the static safety factor — with the 50/100 km basis explained and a worked example.