Flexible shaft

A rotating power-transmission element that bends along its length to carry torque between components that are not in a straight line. Its flexibility allows a drive and a tool or mechanism to operate at different angles or positions.

Torsion: The twisting deformation produced when torque acts on an object around its longitudinal axis. A flexible shaft carries torque through repeated torsional loading along its curved length.
Shaft (mechanical engineering): A rotating machine element that transmits torque and rotational motion between components. A flexible shaft is a bendable variant of this broader machine element.
Dental handpiece: A handheld instrument used by dentists to perform procedures, often with a rapidly rotating bur. Some dental handpieces use flexible shafts to transmit rotation from a remote drive.
Rigid shaft: A rotating power-transmission element that does not bend appreciably under its intended operating loads. A rigid shaft transmits torque efficiently on a fixed axis but cannot follow the flexible shaft’s curved route.
Torque: A measure of the turning effect produced by a force about an axis. Torque is the rotational load the shaft transfers from its drive to its output.
Flexible coupling: A device that joins rotating shafts while accommodating some misalignment or movement. Both accommodate alignment changes, but a flexible shaft can route power over a longer curved path.
Flexible shaft grinder: A powered rotary tool whose motor drives a handheld grinding or polishing head through a flexible shaft. It is a direct example of using the shaft to reach work beyond the motor’s position.
Drive belt: A loop of flexible material that transmits motion and power between pulleys. A belt can span separated axes, but uses pulleys and a loop rather than a bending rotating core.
Bending stiffness: A measure of how strongly a structure resists bending under an applied load. Low bending stiffness lets the shaft follow a curved route without preventing rotation.
Bearing: A machine element that supports moving parts and constrains their motion while reducing friction. Bearings support the shaft’s ends and may guide its rotating core along a route.

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