2007-02-02 13:57:01 · 2 answers · asked by itrat n 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
Not sure what you're looking for. But for a mechanism various parts have different lifes. Bearings have a limited life and you can come up with that from the catalogs on bearings, same for air and hydraulic cylinders, and pumps. As for a piece of steel it depends on the loading it is subjected to and if the load is static or dynamic. Suggest you look in Mark's standard handbook for Mechanical engineers, and look at fatigue limits for various materials.
2007-02-02 15:53:25 · answer #1 · answered by Roadkill 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you are talking about machinery and such, yes engineers do testing to calculate the anticipated useful life. On the other hand a static object made of iron could theoretically last just about forever if it was protected from corrosion and destructive outside forces. Take for instance our Voyager and Pioneer space probes that are all far beyond the orbit of Pluto and headed for interstellar space. While the electronics will eventually fail, the ships themselves should still be floating around in outer space when Earth is but a cinder in 4 billion years.
2007-02-02 22:30:22 · answer #2 · answered by David W 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋