---
title: "What Are Taper Keys (DIN 6886) Used For?"
description: "Taper Keys (DIN 6886) (DIN 6886 (taper keys) — 1:100 taper) are used for transmitting torque between a shaft and a hub. Catalogued 10 mm to 85 mm."
url: https://engineeringhardware.com/applications/taper-keys/
source: Engineering Hardware & Fasteners
---

# What Are Taper Keys (DIN 6886) Used For?

Keys · DIN 6886 (taper keys) — 1:100 taper · Application guide

Typical applications, the industries that specify taper keys (din 6886), and how to choose the right size, material and finish for the joint.

Taper Keys (DIN 6886) are used for transmitting torque between a shaft and a hub. They are manufactured to DIN 6886 (taper keys) — 1:100 taper, and selection is driven by the key section, the fit and tolerance the assembly requires, and the service environment.

- **Primary duty:** Transmitting torque between a shaft and a hub
- **Governing standard:** DIN 6886 (taper keys) — 1:100 taper
- **Key section range:** 10 mm to 85 mm
- **Category:** Keys

Application notes are general engineering guidance. Verify the property class and any approval requirement against your own design calculation.

![What Are Taper Keys (DIN 6886) Used For? application image](https://engineeringhardware.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Taper-Keys.webp)

The primary duty of Taper Keys (DIN 6886) is transmitting torque between a shaft and a hub. Below: the sectors that specify them in volume, the checklist used to select the right size and material for the application, installation notes, and the known limits of the type. Stocked across roughly 10 mm to 85 mm, they cover general to heavy-duty work.

## Typical Applications for Taper Keys (DIN 6886)

The most common settings where these are specified:

- **General machine building:** fastening covers, brackets, motors and sub-assemblies on production equipment.
- **Maintenance & repair (MRO):** a stocked size for servicing existing plant where the original fastener spec must be matched.
- **Fabrication & metalwork:** bench and on-site assembly of steel frames, enclosures and weldments.
- **Power transmission:** locking pulleys, sprockets and couplings to a shaft.
- **Gearboxes & motors:** transmitting torque from a shaft to a hub.

Product catalog

## Related Taper Keys products

[![DIN1469 Half Length Grooved Pins with Rounded Slot at One End](https://img.engineeringhardware.com/DIN1469-Half-Length-Grooved-Pins-with-Rounded-Slot-at-One-End.webp)](https://engineeringhardware.com/product/din1469-half-length-grooved-pins-with-rounded-slot-at-one-end-2/)

Taper, Grooved & Knurled Pins

### [DIN1469 Half Length Grooved Pins with Rounded Slot at One End](https://engineeringhardware.com/product/din1469-half-length-grooved-pins-with-rounded-slot-at-one-end-2/)

Stainless Steel · ISO, DIN

**US$0.012**MOQ 1,000 pieces

[![Grooved Pins with Pilot End, Grooved Pins, Taper Grooved](https://img.engineeringhardware.com/Grooved-Pins-with-Pilot-End-Grooved-Pins-Taper-Grooved.webp)](https://engineeringhardware.com/product/grooved-pins-with-pilot-end-grooved-pins-taper-grooved/)

Taper, Grooved & Knurled Pins

### [Grooved Pins with Pilot End, Grooved Pins, Taper Grooved](https://engineeringhardware.com/product/grooved-pins-with-pilot-end-grooved-pins-taper-grooved/)

Stainless Steel · ISO, GS, RoHS, CE

**US$0.12**MOQ 5,000 pieces

[![304 Stainless Steel Shaft Flat Head Shaft Pin Circlip Positioning Cylindrical Pin with Grooved Pin](https://img.engineeringhardware.com/304-Stainless-Steel-Shaft-Flat-Head-Shaft-Pin-Circlip-Positioning-Cylindrical-Pin-with-Grooved-Pin.webp)](https://engineeringhardware.com/product/304-stainless-steel-shaft-flat-head-shaft-pin-circlip-positioning-cylindrical-pin/)

Taper, Grooved & Knurled Pins

### [304 Stainless Steel Shaft Flat Head Shaft Pin Circlip Positioning Cylindrical Pin with Grooved Pin](https://engineeringhardware.com/product/304-stainless-steel-shaft-flat-head-shaft-pin-circlip-positioning-cylindrical-pin/)

Stainless Steel · Bronze, Zinc Plated, Rainbow, Plain, Nickle Plated

**US$0.036 – 0.36**MOQ 1,000 pieces

[![Stainless Steel Light Type / Heavy Type Tooth Slotted Spring Grooved Pins](https://img.engineeringhardware.com/Stainless-Steel-Light-Type-Heavy-Type-Tooth-Slotted-Spring-Grooved-Pins.webp)](https://engineeringhardware.com/product/stainless-steel-light-type-heavy-type-tooth-slotted-spring-grooved-pins/)

Taper, Grooved & Knurled Pins

### [Stainless Steel Light Type / Heavy Type Tooth Slotted Spring Grooved Pins](https://engineeringhardware.com/product/stainless-steel-light-type-heavy-type-tooth-slotted-spring-grooved-pins/)

Stainless Steel · 4-100mm

**US$0.0012 – 0.006**MOQ 1,000 pieces

[![Stainless Steel DIN1473 Grooved Pins Full Length Parallel Grooved with Chamfer](https://img.engineeringhardware.com/Stainless-Steel-DIN1473-Grooved-Pins-Full-Length-Parallel-Grooved-with-Chamfer.webp)](https://engineeringhardware.com/product/stainless-steel-din1473-grooved-pins-full-length-parallel-grooved-with-chamfer/)

Taper, Grooved & Knurled Pins

### [Stainless Steel DIN1473 Grooved Pins Full Length Parallel Grooved with Chamfer](https://engineeringhardware.com/product/stainless-steel-din1473-grooved-pins-full-length-parallel-grooved-with-chamfer/)

Stainless Steel · Passivated, Plain, Zinc Plated, Anodizing, HDG

**US$0.60**MOQ 10,000 pieces

[![Furniture Hardware Slotted Grade 6.8 M10 CNC Grooved Pin](https://img.engineeringhardware.com/Furniture-Hardware-Slotted-Grade-6-8-M10-CNC-Grooved-Pin.webp)](https://engineeringhardware.com/product/furniture-hardware-slotted-grade-6-8-m10-cnc-grooved-pin/)

Taper, Grooved & Knurled Pins

### [Furniture Hardware Slotted Grade 6.8 M10 CNC Grooved Pin](https://engineeringhardware.com/product/furniture-hardware-slotted-grade-6-8-m10-cnc-grooved-pin/)

Carbon Steel · Nickel Plated

**US$0.012 – 0.024**MOQ 5,000 pieces

[View all Taper, Grooved & Knurled Pins →](https://engineeringhardware.com/fastener-products/pins-dowel-fasteners/taper-grooved-knurled-pins/) [Full product catalog](https://engineeringhardware.com/products/)

## How to Specify Taper Keys (DIN 6886) for Your Application

- **Size:** Select on key section, and confirm it against the mating feature in the assembly. This product spans 10 mm–85 mm; check the full table below for the exact dimensions of each size.
- **Material:** Choose the material and finish for the service environment — plated steel for general use, stainless for corrosion resistance.
- **Environment:** For damp, coastal or chemical exposure prefer A4/316 stainless or a suitable coating; indoors, plated steel or A2 is usually sufficient.
- **Standard:** This product is supplied to DIN 6886 (taper keys) — 1:100 taper. Quoting the standard on your order guarantees interchangeable dimensions between suppliers.

## Where Taper Keys (DIN 6886) Are Not the Right Choice

Not for very high reversing torque without an interference fit, and not as an axial retainer.

Custom manufacturing · Made to drawing

## Need a taper keys (din 6886) outside the standard range?

Width, height, length, taper and material are specifiable, and the keyway drawing matters as much as the key itself. Made by milling or broaching & serration.

Minimum order from 2,000 pieces; samples within 7 days of drawing approval.

[Custom machine key manufacturing](https://engineeringhardware.com/custom/keys/)[Send a drawing](https://engineeringhardware.com/custom/keys/#rfq)

## Technical Drawing

Dimensioned line drawing of 10 Taper Keys (DIN 6886) to DIN 6886 (taper keys) — 1:100 taper. Side view and top view, drawn to the dimensions in the table below and redrawn for any size selected.

- **to and including:** 12
- **Key width b (mm):** 4
- **Key height h (mm):** 4
- **Taper:** 1:100

## Dimensions & Specifications (DIN 6886 (taper keys) — 1:100 taper)

| Shaft diameter over | to and including | Key width b (mm) | Key height h (mm) | Taper |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 10 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 1:100 |
| 12 | 17 | 5 | 5 | 1:100 |
| 17 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 1:100 |
| 22 | 30 | 8 | 7 | 1:100 |
| 30 | 38 | 10 | 8 | 1:100 |
| 38 | 44 | 12 | 8 | 1:100 |
| 44 | 50 | 14 | 9 | 1:100 |
| 50 | 58 | 16 | 10 | 1:100 |
| 58 | 65 | 18 | 11 | 1:100 |
| 65 | 75 | 20 | 12 | 1:100 |
| 75 | 85 | 22 | 14 | 1:100 |
| 85 | 95 | 25 | 14 | 1:100 |

Inside the plant

## Manufactured in our own plant

This part is cold-formed, threaded, heat-treated and finished in-house. The stages below are where its class and finish are actually decided.

1. ![Wire rod feeding into a cold heading machine](https://engineeringhardware.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/09-wire-rod-feed-cold-heading-machine.webp) 01 **Cold heading** Wire rod is drawn to size and cold-formed into blanks. Forming rather than cutting keeps the grain flow continuous around the head, which is where a bolt is most likely to fail. Head dimensions and under-head radius checked at set-up and per shift.
2. ![Thread rolling machine producing bolt threads](https://engineeringhardware.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/03-thread-rolling-machine-bolt-production.webp) 02 **Thread rolling** Threads are rolled between hardened dies rather than cut. Rolled threads are stronger in fatigue than cut threads and hold pitch and flank angle far more consistently across a batch. Go / no-go ring gauges to ISO 965 tolerance class 6g.
3. ![Baskets of bolts staged for heat treatment](https://engineeringhardware.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/05-heat-treatment-baskets-black-bolts.webp) 03 **Heat treatment** Quench-and-temper brings carbon and alloy steel to the property class ordered — 8.8, 10.9 or 12.9 — with the furnace charge tracked so a finished lot can be traced back to it. Core hardness and tensile tested per lot to ISO 898-1.
4. ![Zinc plated bolts in a treatment basket](https://engineeringhardware.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/23-zinc-plated-bolts-treatment-basket.webp) 04 **Surface treatment** Zinc, zinc-nickel, hot-dip galvanizing, black oxide, phosphate and Dacromet, selected against the service environment rather than against the price list. Coating thickness and neutral salt spray hours to ISO 9227.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What are Taper Keys (DIN 6886) used for?

Transmitting torque between a shaft and a hub. They are supplied to DIN 6886 (taper keys) — 1:100 taper.

### Which industries use Taper Keys (DIN 6886)?

They are commonly specified in general machine building, maintenance & repair (mro) and fabrication & metalwork, among other sectors.

### How do I choose the right size of Taper Keys (DIN 6886)?

Select on key section and on the fit the assembly requires. This product is available from 10 mm to 85 mm; the full dimension table on this page lists each size.

### How do Taper Keys (DIN 6886) transmit torque?

The key sits in matching keyways in the shaft and hub, transmitting torque in shear. Size the key to the shaft diameter using the standard, and ensure both keyways are cut to spec.

### Can I get a quote for Taper Keys (DIN 6886) in the size and material I need?

Yes. Use the technical drawing and quote form on this page to set the size and options, then send the exact configuration to our team for pricing and lead time.

## Related Pages

Product page: [Taper Keys (DIN 6886) — specifications & sizes](https://engineeringhardware.com/fastener/taper-keys/)

### Taper Keys (DIN 6886) Specification Guides

### Related Fastener Applications