Cardan shafts: Drive shafts for vehicle construction and mechanical and plant engineering

Cardan drive shaft

Angle of deflection: up to max. 35°

Length: 60 to 6,000 mm

Execution:

• Tubular shaft or short version
• With or without length extension
• Joint single and double
• Joint intermediate shafts
• Roller or needle bearings
• Lubricatable (central or external lubrication) / Maintenance-free
• High-temperature and low-temperature versions
• Profile protection / Retracted tube / Internal compression spring / Universal joint with plain bearing

Cardan drive shaft

Angle of deflection: up to max. 45°

Length: 260 to 6.000 mm

Execution::

• Tubular shaft
• With or without length extension
• Roller or needle bearing
• Lubricatable (central or external lubrication) / Maintenance-free
• High-temperature and low-temperature versions
• Profile protection / Retracted tube / Internal compression spring

Cardan shafts are flexible and transmit drive forces – even with static offsets between input and output, changing angles and / or dynamic loads. Modern drive shafts are therefore used in various machines and vehicles, from agricultural vehicles to special vehicles. Cardan shafts are used in the following areas, among others:

• in vehicle engineering
  in agriculture
  in industrial engineering and plant engineering
  in special and commercial vehicles (e.g. fire engines or construction machinery).

Regardless of the area of application, cardan shafts also offer the option of reliably bridging larger distances between the input and output. This means that powerful drives can be realized flexibly and cost-effectively. In vehicle construction, a wide range of torque and speed combinations are particularly important, whereas in mechanical and plant engineering, constant working torques and speeds with correspondingly long running times dominate.

Whether in construction machinery, commercial vehicles or industrial plants – cardan shafts are used wherever rotary movements / torques have to be transmitted with an angular offset. Their design allows variable angular positions and demonstrates constant performance even under high mechanical loads. The most important advantages at a glance::

1. Efficient power transmission: The universal joint enables torque and rotational movements to be transmitted, even at changing angles. Thanks to the flexible universal joint, the torque remains almost constant even with changing angles. These drive shafts are therefore ideal for applications with movable bearings or variable alignment.
2. Robust design for high loads: Cardan shafts or their components are generally made of particularly resistant heat-treated steels and are therefore specially designed for the transmission of high torques and continuous loads.
3. High adaptability: Cardan shafts can easily withstand extreme conditions – from high temperatures and moisture to dust and dirt. Materials and sealing concepts can be specifically adapted for particularly demanding areas of application.
4. Easy maintenance: Thanks to their modular design, cardan shafts can be easily inspected, maintained or replaced if necessary, thus reducing downtimes to a minimum.

Due to all these properties, cardan shafts are a proven solution for applications where load capacity, precision and durability are required. Compared to other types of cardan shafts, the proven cardan shafts are particularly impressive due to their high load capacity and long service life. Compared to precision or ball joint shafts, cardan shafts are more robust and less specialized for certain applications.

In practice, the gearbox and axle are rarely rigidly connected. Movements in the chassis, kinks in the drivetrain or changing loads ensure that the installation position of the drive components is constantly changing. According to the cardanic principle, torque can be transmitted reliably even if the drive and output are not exactly aligned. Cardan shafts implement this principle in their design: Cardan shafts are constructed in such a way that they can be optimally adapted to dynamic movements and different installation angles.

Cardan shafts are part of the Cross cardan shafts assembly and consist of several components, which can vary depending on the design:

• Fork parts made from forged blanks, machined and provided with holes for corresponding roller bearings.
• Cross joints manufactured by cold extrusion or drop forging
• Needle or roller bearings (rolling bearings) are fitted into fork parts
• Profile shift with broached hubs and cold-formed shaft profiles; optionally with plastic coating to reduce axial displacement forces
• Special precision steel tube

Additional intermediate bearings can be used for longer distances between input and output. Protective tubes or damping elements can also be part of the design, depending on the installation space and operating conditions.

Which design is the right one depends on the installation situation, the axle geometry and the driving profile of the vehicle. The following variants are common:

• Single joints contain only one universal joint and are suitable for short distances with low angular misalignment.
• Cardan shafts with two Cross joints are the standard in vehicle construction. They compensate for angular deviations resulting from vertical and / or horizontal offsets, provided that both individual angles are approximately the same,
• Special wide-angle shafts have joints with an extended swivel range and are used for highly mobile superstructures or changing articulation angles in the drivetrain.

In addition to the classic cardan shaft, there are also designs with two universal joints in direct succession – so-called double joints or centered drive shafts.

Cardan shafts usually consist of two cross joints that are connected to each other via length compensation and a tube. This arrangement compensates for misalignments (vertical, horizontal, combined spatial) between the drive and output. For uniform transmission of the torques, the joint angles resulting from the misalignments must be approximately equal. If this is not the case, an effect occurs in which the angular velocity on the output side fluctuates.

If both joints are exactly aligned with each other, these fluctuations balance each other out and the cardan error is minimized. However, in cases with strongly offset installation points or changing articulation angles – for example with short shaft distances or steerable axles – exact alignment is not possible. In such situations, the cardan shafts are used “twice”. They are therefore also referred to as double universal joint shafts.

If two universal joints are located directly behind each other and are mechanically connected to each other via a centric ball, the design is referred to as a centered drive shaft. This ensures a uniform rotary movement – regardless of the offset between the input and output. This drive shaft is used, for example, in steered front axles, which are often installed in all-wheel drive vehicles, special vehicles or machines with independent wheel suspension.

For a drive shaft to function reliably for years to come, correct technical design is crucial. At the same time, regular maintenance is also required. Factors such as torque, speed, deflection angle, type of drive, available installation space and ambient conditions must be taken into account when selecting the right component. An incorrectly dimensioned shaft can lead to increased wear or even failure – with costly consequences.

Care is also required during subsequent assembly. If (cardan) drive shafts are not precisely aligned or installed incorrectly, this can increase the load on the bearings and joints and significantly reduce the service life of the drive shaft. Professional installation, regular visual and functional inspections and maintenance therefore pay off in any case.

What you should pay attention to during design and maintenance:

• Take torque, installation position and ambient conditions into account when dimensioning
• Ensure precise alignment and correct installation
• Check drive shafts regularly for vibrations, noise and visible wear

The above measures form the basis for reliable and low-maintenance operation of your drive shaft.

The Elbe Group offers you a comprehensive service, including a well-founded service life calculation and technical customizing for prototypes, one-off productions as well as small and large series. Contact us now.

Whether classic cardan shaft, double joint shaft, centered drive shaft, innovative EST drive shaft with sensor technology or precision and ball joint shaft. Elbe provides you with drive solutions that are precisely tailored to your individual application.

We support you throughout the entire development and production process:

• Customizing from quantity 1
• Technical advice and service life calculation
• Development of special designs and material combinations
• Production in accordance with international standards for quality, safety, energy and the environment (IATF 16949, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 45001, EN 15085, ISO 27001, TISAX®)

This gives you a tailor-made, certified solution – from the first sample to series production.

We offer a wide range of interfaces and designs for reliable integration into your system:

• Various flange sizes and designs
• DIN flange
• SAE flange
• Cross-serrated flange

This allows our cardan shafts to be seamlessly integrated into existing drive systems.

Depending on the operating environment, we supply robust designs and suitable surface treatments:

• Greasable (central/external lubrication)
• Maintenance-free
• Roller or needle bearings
• High and low temperature versions
• Painting in any color (RAL, NCS, individual)
• Galvanization

This ensures that your cardan shaft remains durable, efficient and visually coordinated – even under demanding conditions.

As a specialist for drive shafts, we support you in the design, construction and further development of your drive shafts – and are always available to answer any questions you may have. Make a technical request now.

Are you looking for a customized drive shaft solution for your special vehicle?
Our offer is aimed at vehicle manufacturers, system suppliers and public clients with a need for reliable drive components for special vehicles. We are happy to support you in the design of individual drive shafts – whether for a single project or series production. Take a look at our product catalog in advance or visit one of our locations.
For inquiries, simply use our contact form – we look forward to hearing from you.