A shear pin is a mechanical detail designed to allow a specific outcome to occur once a predetermined force is applied. It can either function as a safeguard designed to break to protect other parts, or as a conditional operator th… See more

In the role as a conditional operator, a shear pin will be used to prevent a mechanical device from operating before the criteria for operation are met. A shear pin gives a distinct threshold for the force required fo… See more

A shear pin could potentially be made from any material although metal is the most common.
When making a metal object for a mechanical application, an alloy and tempering is … See more

The pin itself may be as simple as a metal rod inserted into a channel drilled through two moving parts, locking them in place as long as the pin is intact.
It may also be a plain metal rod inserted through a h… See more