shafting

Shafting refers to a mechanical component known as a shaft, used to transmit rotational motion and torque between machine elements such as gears, pulleys, and bearings. A shaft is typically a cylindrical bar that may be solid or hollow, designed to withstand torsion, bending, and shear stresses while maintaining alignment of the connected components.

Shafts are engineered by selecting materials such as carbon steels, alloy steels, stainless steels, or aluminum, and by applying manufacturing processes like cold drawing and precision machining. Heat treatments such as carburizing, nitriding, or quenching and tempering are used to achieve the required strength and fatigue resistance. Shafts may be straight or stepped and often include features such as keys or splines for torque transmission, shoulders for axial positioning, and grooves for seals. Common types include solid shafts and hollow shafts, with configurations to accommodate coupling and alignment requirements.

Bearings, seals, couplings, gears, and pulleys are accessories that attach to shafts. Design considerations include fit tolerances, surface finish, alignment, balance, and lubrication. Failure modes include fatigue cracking, wear at contact surfaces, bending from misalignment, and lubrication failures. Proper maintenance involves regular inspection, appropriate lubrication, alignment checks, and correct mounting practices to ensure reliability and longevity.

In informal language, shafting can also mean cheating or swindling someone, or, less commonly, refer to sexual activity in slang; these uses are non-technical and distinct from engineering discussions.