Armature burnout is an inevitable reality with conventional electric tools. If cost is one end of the reality, the non-availability of tools when one needs them, and the back-up spares required to keep them running is the other end. When one switches to pneumatic tools, the challenge is to balance between the pressure and the volume of air used. Maintenance of pneumatic lines or the lack of it could in itself be the reason for failures of pneumatic tools. The solution that provides both the advantages of a stable speed on load and the lightweight of pneumatic tools is the use of flexible shaft machines. Flexible shaft machines come in three phase fitted with an induction motor or is also available with a universal motor like any other electric tool. When fitted with variable speed electronics or geared speed controls, flexible shaft machines can become tools rolled into one. When a new application comes up, select and change the tool-holder, one is ready to face the new application challenge. As a pioneer and world leader in suhner, a swiss multi-national, has introduced a range of flexible shaft machines both in single phase and three phase versions. The life of these shafts are phenomenal. This is obvious with a lot of discerning customers changing over to suhner shafts, finding value in them, in spite of having to pay a higher price. In the long run, flexible shaft machines could become a viable alternative for either electric tools or pneumatic tools for in-shop applications.
