Mandrel Drive Assemblies

Cantilever Drives

With this drive, mandrels are mounted to a long support tube. In operation, a chain feeds around a sprocket on the mandrel to turn it. A simple pull of a lever collapses the mandrel so the part can be easily pulled off. Then, to unload the mandrel from the drive, you simply loosen the chain connected to the sprocket and remove a nut fastened to the mandrel's center bearing. It is then possible to slide the mandrel off the drive and load another.

Head Stock and Tail Stock Drives

This type of drive is usually used if the mandrel is too long or heavy to mount on a cantilevered drive. A center axle support fits inside the shaft that is secured at both ends. A motor, attached at the head stock, provides the power that turns the mandrel on the drive while the head and tail stocks support the mandrel. To unload the mandrel, the operator simply supports it with a bridge crane or cart, and then pulls the tail stock away from the mandrel. It is then possible to pull the mandrel off the drive, and either hoist it with a crane or take it away on a cart. To remove a part such as a tank, after collapsing the mandrel, the operator pushes the tail stock back from the mandrel and then slides the axle support out from the tail stock end. It is then possible to push the tank off the mandrel.

Supports for mandrels that range in diameter from 2 inches (5.1 cm) to 16.4 feet (5 meter)