Sun, Aug 23, 2026
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ENGINEER PROBLEM OF THE WEEK: Need to Transmit Rotation Between Two Shafts That Aren’t Perfectly Aligned?
Here’s why a universal joint may be the answer.
In mechanical design, perfectly aligned shafts are ideal—but they aren’t always practical. Space limitations, moving components, changes in machine geometry, or simple installation constraints can leave two shafts operating at an angle to one another.
So, how do you reliably transfer rotary motion from one shaft to another when their centerlines don’t line up?