The motor rotating shaft is horizontal, the drive pinion spin axis is also horizontal. The trouble is these axes aren’t aligned, they happen to be parallel to one another. The Cardan Shaft redirects the drive shaft to the drive pinion without changing the way of rotation.
Widely used in industry, cardan shafts have confirmed practical upon applications where space is limited-as well seeing that in conditions where an factor in the device train (e.g. paper roll) may need to become actuated (dynamically positioned) to an alternate position when the equipment are not working. The universal joint permits limited movement without 
uncoupling. To make sure satisfactory lubrication circulation, which avoids the universal joints from seizing, cardan shafts are usually installed with an position from 4 to 6 6 degrees at the universal joints. Encounter, though, has displayed that the angle between the shafts of the driver and influenced unit should be kept to the very least, preferably less than 4.36 mrads (0.25 degrees). Preferably, the angles between the driver and motivated shafts and the cardan shaft, displayed as β1 and β2 in Fig. 1, will be equal. Geometrically, this would mean zero angularity existing between the driver and driven product: In other words, the shafts of the driver and driven machine would be parallel to each other.
Usually it involves a tubular shaft, two sets of Universal Joints and glove system – ferrule stepper, among others. It is definitely a element of the transmission system, its function is certainly to redirect the engine turning motion, after moving through the gearbox and the drive to the wheel, going through the ‘planetary and satellite’ system etc.
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Cardan shaft, also called cardinal shaft, is an element of torque transmission.