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Standard Mechanical Components

Mechanical components are basic mechanical parts in a machine, these are the building blocks of most machines. Most of these components are standardized to common sizes, but custom sizes are also used for special applications.

Many mechanical designs and engineering tasks involves knowledge of various mechanical elements and components to fulfil the required tasks.

Therefore a few standard mechanical components used are as follows

• Screws – Screws are used to fastened materials by engagement of screw thread with similar matching female thread.
• Bolt – They are similar to screws but screws are incorporated as a standalone part while bolts require a nut as a fastening device.
• Studs – It is a long rod with threads on both sides but it is headless, thread may extend along the complete length of the rod and they are designed to be used under tension.
• Nut – Nuts are also a type of fasteners generally used in conjunction with bolts to hold multiple parts together.
• Washers – A small flat metal, rubber, or plastic fixed between two joining surface or between a nut and a bolt to spread the pressure or act as a spacer or a seat.
• Rivet – It is a permanent mechanical fastener, on installation revit is punched in the hole and the tail is deformed hence it becomes a permanent joint.
• Inserts – It is a threaded bushing, it is inserted in an object to add a threaded hole in the specimen.
• Standoff – A standoff is a thread separator of defined length used to raise one part in an assembly above another.
• Blind revit nuts - A rivet nut, also known as a blind rivet nut, or rivnut, is a one-piece internally threaded and counterbored tubular rivet that can be anchored entirely from one side.
• Retaining rings – It’s a fastener that holds a component or assembly onto the shaft or housing when installed.
• Locking pins – It is used to fastened a assembled shaft through its shoulder so the assembly can remain intact during motion.
• Clevis Pin - A clevis pin consists of a head, shank and hole. The hole passes through the shank at the opposite end of the pin from the head
• Shims – A thin strip of material used to align parts, make them fit, or reduce wear.
• Spacers – It is a solid material used to separate parts in the assembly, they can be of various sizes made up of metal, glass or plastic.
• Hose clamp – It is a device used to attach and seal hose onto a fitting as a barb or a nipple.
• Cable tie mounts – It is a cable used for holding of the components, it is quiet similar to zip ties, it also has a locking mechanism at the end of the cable.
• Fixing clips – They are small fasteners used to hold loose articles together.
• Toggle clamps – It is a simple mechanism designed to hold instantly, it has a handle and a clamping arm to reach the work piece.
• Quick release pins – These pins will not release until the button on the handle is pressed which allows the balls to retract and the pin to release.
• Spring Plunger – It is a small and narrow device that is used for indexing and positioning of various components.
• Index Plungers – These are elements used for holding machine parts locked in place they usually have a grip knob or a pull ring to disengage.
• Locating pins – These are used for location and fine tolerance work on a work piece.
• Ball plungers - They are used for locating or positioning in drawers, doors, dies and other fixtures.
• Supports – These are mechanical components used to hold device in place to absorb shocks and vibrations.
• Hinges – It is a mechanical device which connects solid objects allowing limited angle of rotation.
• Lid Stay – It is a device that is mounted on lid that allows a lid to open at maximum at 105 degree.
• Locks – A lock is any device which prevents access or use by requiring special knowledge or equipment.
• Draw latches – It operates by drawing two items together during tension.
• Strike Plate – It protects jamb against friction from the bolt and protects softer materials.
• Magnetic latches – These are generally same as latches but they do use magnetism as latching mechanisms.
• Cylinder locks – The key turns cylinder or plugs which turns and attached cams.
• Retainers – It comes in numerous forms of diverse usage such as a crack shaft oil seal retainers.
• Slides – It converts rotational motion into linear motion by using friction between radial ball bearing and a shaft.
• Handle – A handle is a part of or an attachment to an object that can be moved or used by hand.
• Clamping levers – Adjustable levers are used to perform repetitive clamping operation when the lever turning angle is limited owing to lack of space.
• Knobs – A rounded lump especially at the end or on the surface of something.
• Levers – A rigid bars resting on a pivot, used to move a heavy or firmly fixed load with one end when pressure is applied to the other.
• Hand wheel – It is a wheel that is used for steering type of control or controller a mechanism that controls the operation of machine.
• Crank handle – A hand tool consisting of a roasting shaft with parallel handle.
• Wire ropes – Used dynamically for lifting and hoisting in cranes and elevators and transmission of mechanical power.
• Metal profiles – These are metal sheets used for building efficient and reliable envelopes for the commercial buildings.
• Modular structural fittings – These are standardized fittings to be mounted on various structures and due to modular design they are interchangeable.
• Plugs – Mechanical plugs are mechanically actuated by tightening a series of rim nuts around a periphery of the pipe plug.
• Caps – Caps act as a protective device and are designed to protect pipe ends of various shapes. The main purpose is to waterproof connections.
• Springs – Spring mechanism is a mechanism that compresses, extends, rotates, slides, pulls and exerts force when applied to it.
• Air Springs – A shock absorber that uses pressurized air as a cushion instead of metal spring.
• Gas Springs – Instead of using metal to compress it uses compressed gas in the cylinder sealed by sliding piston.
• Damper – Dampers are generally used in shock or vibration absorption to protect the object.
• Stops – A mechanical device that stops or limits the travel of mechanisms.
• Bumpers – A horizontal bar used to absorb collision and impact.
• Thrust pad – It is a particular type of roller bearing they permit rotary motion between parts and are designed to support axial loads.
• Anti vibration mounts – It is a flexible support for engine used for isolating vibration from the main body.
• Rotary dampers – They are used for providing smooth, controlled retraction of a movable mechanical device.
• Speed control dampers – These are used in pressure and compression jobs like printing, come with multiple designs.
• Wheels – A circular object that revolves on a axle and it is fixed below a vehicle or an object to make it movable.
• Casters – Single, Double, or Compound wheel designed to be attached beneath a larger object to make it movable or slid able.
• Cable Glands – It is the device used to secure the ends of the electrical wires to the equipments.
• Cable protector – It is a simple cost effective method to protect cables on most job sites.
• Cable entry systems – These are used for routing electrical cables corrugated conduits or pneumatic and hydraulic hoses into switch cabinets.
• Feedthrough – It is an electric connector used to join two parts of a circuit on opposite side of something such as circuit boards or earthing screens.
• Mechanical seals – It is a device that helps in joining systems or mechanism together by preventing leakage.
• Braided packing – It is cut into rings and inserted into a stuffing box and compressed using a bolted gland.
• Seal ring – A finger ring with seal for impressing sealing wax to prevent leakage.
• Sealing tapes – It is a gummed paper tape used for securing wrapped or boxed packages.
• Seals – It is a device used to join two things together so as to join two things together to prevent them from coming apart.
• O-ring seals – It is designed to be seated between two or more parts creating a seals at the interface.
• Gaskets sheets – It is a sheet intended to be used in making quick cost effective gaskets for joining surfaces.
• Flat seals – They provide static sealing of two flat sealing surfaces generally used in chemicals and food and beverage industries.  

These are some of the most widely used standard mechanical components in various industries.