axialspel

Axialspel, or axial clearance, is a mechanical term describing the permissible or observed movement of components along the axis of a shaft or bore. It is the axial play between mating parts, such as a shaft and a housing, a bearing and a shaft, or a gear hub and a shaft. The quantity is often called endplay or end float and is typically specified as a maximum value under a defined preload or load condition. Axialspel is different from radial clearance, which concerns movement perpendicular to the axis.

Measurement is typically performed with indicators or dial gauges while the assembly is subjected to a known axial preload or when loaded by practical operating forces. Values depend on design requirements, materials, and tolerances. Common sources of axial play include manufacturing tolerances, bearing internal clearance, wear, looser fits, and thermal expansion.

Effects range from nuisance to critical: excessive axial play can cause gear backlash, misalignment, vibration, or noise; in precision mechanisms it degrades accuracy; in some designs a small axial clearance is deliberate to allow thermal growth or assembly tolerance.

Management and control involve design features such as defined end stops, thrust bearings, shoulders, or flanges to fix relative axial position; preloading elements such as springs, Belleville washers, or tapered fits; and careful selection of tolerances and fits to balance stiffness, clearance, and reliability. In many cases axialspel is an intentional design parameter, optimized to meet performance and reliability requirements.