Also known as drive shafts, cardan shafts are an important component of automative industry that originated in the mid 19th century. The shaft comprises of a shaft tube, telescopic sleeve and two cross joints which help to adjust the distance between transmission and drive axle. Every cardan shaft available with your nearest cardan shaft manufacturers has two halves- one connected to driven shaft and one connected to the main shaft.
Types of Cardan Shafts
Though they were originally used in the automotive industry, today cardan shafts are used in almost all fields of mechanical engineering for different purposes. Depending on the types of structure, every cardan shaft can be categorized into one of the following:
- Light Cardan shafts: These cardan shafts have large mounting angles as well as a low inertia. Because of this, they are mainly used in the paper making industry, general machinery, pumping industry and test machines. Their flange diameters range between 58-225 mm along with a torque ranging between 180-22000 Nm.
- Long Series Cardan Shafts: These cardan shafts are quite popular among the cardan shaft manufacturers due to their lightweight designs, maximum bearing life, low inertia and a high torsional rigidity. Due to these capabilities, they are used mainly in down coiler, marine drives, pumping equipment and large scale paper machines. The torque in these machines range from 40000- 225000 Nm and flange diameters range from 160- 390 mm.
- Medium Size Cardan Shafts: This is considered to be one of the most versatile range of cardan shafts available with cardan shaft manufacturers. They have a compact rhythm and a high torque. Their usage varies from large marine drives to straightening machines and cranes to steel rolling mills. Their flange diameters range from 160-620mm with the torque ranging anywhere between 21000- 1250000 Nm.
- Heavy Duty Cardan Shafts: Heavy duty cardan shafts are made from fixed raw materials passed through a special heat treatment process. These shafts are then used in crushers, plate mills, windmill test machines and tube piercers. One can choose these cardan shafts from their chosen cardan shaft manufacturers with flange diameter ranging anywhere between 680- 1200 mm and the torque ranging anywhere between 1640000- 9000000 Nm.
- Hollow Penetration Cardan Shafts: These shafts are chosen by the danielli type mills for large contractions, expansions and other similar applications. Their installation length is limited thus they are used mainly for H beam mills and bar mills. The diameter of their flange ranges between 225-490 mm and the torque lies between 56000- 700000 Nm.
- Ultra short cardan shafts: These cardan shafts are bought only for applications where a compact design with a limited installation length is required. Thus, they are mainly installed in marines, locomotives and windmills. Their torque ranges between 25000- 90000 nm with the flange diameter ranging between 275- 440 mm.
Depending upon what type of cardan shaft is being chosen at the cardan shaft manufacturers near me, their prices are also different. Their life is around one year after which they need to be replaced. This regular change is more like an investment rather than a waste of money as it helps in the proper working of the machinery.
