epäkeskisen

Epäkeskinen is a Finnish adjective meaning not centered; it is used to describe objects or configurations in which a feature, such as a shaft, bore, or circle, is offset from a common center or axis. The form epäkeskisen is the genitive singular of the adjective, used when the off-center noun is possessed or described, for example epäkeskisen laitteen ominaisuudet (the properties of the off-center device). The corresponding noun epäkeskisyys refers to the concept of eccentricity.

Etymology: the word combines epä-, a negating prefix meaning not, with keskinen from keski, center, giving the sense of “not central.”

In engineering and mechanics, epäkeskinen describes components whose centers are offset from the rotation axis. This offset, or eccentricity, is exploited to transform motion, such as converting rotational motion into reciprocating motion through eccentric cams, offset bushings, or non-concentric gears. Epäkeskinen designs are common in valve trains, pumping mechanisms, textile machinery, and various servo or actuation systems where controlled irregular motion is desired. The Finnish term for the measure of this offset is epäkeskisyys.

In everyday language, epäkeskinen can describe any off-center object, such as a wheel or bore that is not perfectly centered, though technical contexts often specify the type and magnitude of the offset.

See also: eccentricity, offset mechanism, non-concentric, cam mechanism.