Created on 2025.12.16

Basic Structure, Applications and Advantages of Air Shafts Compared to Conventional Shafts

Air shafts are widely used transmission components in slitting, rewinding, and web processing equipment. They inflate internal air bladders to tightly grip the core, providing stable holding and power transmission.

Basic Structure

The air shaft mainly consists of:

Shaft body: Usually made of high-strength steel tube, offering excellent rigidity and durability.

Air bladder: Installed inside the shaft; inflates to clamp the core firmly.

Air inlet: Connects to the air source to supply compressed air.

End caps and seals: Ensure air tightness to prevent leaks

Drive interface: Equipped with splines or taper sleeves to connect with the machine’s drive system.

Main Application Scenarios

Slitting machines: Securely hold the material roll, ensuring precise tension control and stable transmission.

Rewinding machines: Efficiently wind material rolls while preventing core slippage.

Printing and packaging machines: Facilitate material feeding and positioning for high-speed production.

Textile, film, and paper industries: Widely used in various web processing equipment.

Advantages of Air Shafts Compared to Conventional Shafts

Comparison Aspect	Air Shaft	Conventional Shaft
Clamping Method	Inflates internal air bladder for even, strong grip	Mechanical or friction clamping with limited grip, prone to slippage
Operation Convenience	Quick inflation, easy roll change, saves time	Mechanical clamping is complex and time-consuming
Adaptability	Suitable for various core sizes and materials, flexible	Usually fixed size, less adaptable
Maintenance Cost	Easy replacement of air bladder, simple maintenance	Mechanical parts wear faster, frequent and costly maintenance
Operational Stability	Even clamping prevents web misalignment and loosening	Uneven clamping can cause web tracking issues and slippage

Thanks to these significant advantages, air shafts have become the preferred clamping solution for modern slitting and web processing equipment, greatly improving production efficiency and product quality.