The safety factor takes into account, among other things:
- Load fluctuations and shock loads
- Manufacturing tolerances and material variations
- Wear and aging
- Assembly and alignment errors
- Unpredictable operating conditions
A sufficiently selected safety factor prevents overload, plastic deformation, or breakage.
Definition
In general:
S > 1: Component is sufficiently dimensioned
S = 1: Limit case
S < 1: Overload, risk of failure
Application in mechanical engineering
For thread drives, bearings, and spindles, the safety factor is used for:
- static load (e.g., holding force, standstill)
- dynamic load (varying forces, service life calculation)
- critical operating states (emergency stop, blocking, shock loads)
Typical values range, depending on the application, between 1.2 and 3.0 or higher for safety-relevant components.