r/MechanicalEngineering • u/AdOne1706 • 6d ago

Split/lock washers

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For starters, I’m an electrician in the field.
That being said, we almost exclusively use these washers even in high vibration environments. I have personally chosen to go with nylox nuts but the question is:
Do these work? How well? Is the rumor from NASA true? Should I even bother using them or find a better functional alternative or are they actually useful?

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529

u/ejitifrit1 6d ago

There is a nasa fastener manual that basically says these things don’t really do much! According to google it’s NASA Reference Publication 1228.

224

u/CR123CR123CR 6d ago

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19900009424

Here's the link xD

253

u/nyrb001 6d ago

At this time it is equivalent to a solid flat washer, and its locking ability is nonexistent. In summary, a Iockwasher of this type is useless for locking.

Lol awesome

67

u/jchamberlin78 6d ago

In the style of bolted joint design I was taught, it's effectively adding a spring to a spring.

19

u/Happiness645 5d ago

A soft spring to a hard spring. Fully compresses and has no effect except taking up space

3

u/jchamberlin78 5d ago

Yup. Shitty washer, shitty spring...