Official Answer
Answer
The 'Grip' or seating force of a retaining ring is determined by its radial wall $b$ and the amount of interference between the ring's free ID and the groove diameter. The radial pressure $q$ is given by $q = \frac{2 E I (D_g - D_f)}{D_m^2 b}$. Since $I = \frac{t b^3}{12}$, the grip force is proportional to $b^3$. A larger radial wall significantly increases the force required to expand the ring, which improves the maximum RPM limit but makes installation more difficult and increases the risk of over-stressing the material during assembly.
