In machine tools, the spindle is the rotational axis of the machine tool. The shaft itself is called the main shaft, but in workshop practice, the term is often used metaphorically to refer to the entire rotating unit, including not only the shaft itself, but also its bearings and anything connected to it (chuck, etc.).

Machine tools can have multiple spindles, such as the spindle box and tailstock spindle on a desktop lathe. The main shaft is usually the largest shaft. Some machine tools specifically designed for mass production have spindle sets of 4, 6, or even more. These are called multi spindle machine tools. For example, drilling machines and many screw machines are multi axis machines. Although a desktop lathe has more than one spindle (including the tailstock), it is not called a multi spindle machine tool.

Examples of spindles include:

On a lathe (whether it is a wooden lathe or a metal lathe), the spindle is the heart of the spindle box.

In rotary cutting woodworking machinery, the spindle is a component equipped with a special-shaped milling cutter, used to cut kickbacks, small beads, and curves into molded products and similar wooden products.

Similarly, in rotary cutting metalworking machines such as milling and drilling machines, the spindle is the shaft (e.g., through a chuck) connected to the tool (e.g., drill bit or milling cutter).

There are various types of spindles, including grinding spindles, electric spindles, machine tool spindles, low-speed spindles, high-speed spindles, etc. Huagong Bearing specializes in the application of bearings in the machine tool industry. Please feel free to consult at any time!