A mandrel is a tool used for shaping, stretching, or supporting material during machining, forging, or metal forming processes. It is typically a tapered or cylindrical rod, spindle, or arbor that is inserted into a hole in a workpiece to support it during machining. Mandrels can be made of steel or other materials and come in many different types for specialized applications. Some common uses of mandrels include:

• Holding workpieces: Mandrels can be used to hold a workpiece that doesnt fit in a chuck or against a faceplate. This means any workpiece whose axis has been drilled or bored would be used with mandrels. Mandrels make the workpiece rotate around the center only, increasing the jobs’ accuracy.

• Shaping workpieces: Mandrels can be used to shape or resize rings in jewelry making. They can also be used to bend or shape metal tubing, such as exhaust pipes for automobiles, without undesirable creasing, kinking, or collapse.

• Supporting workpieces: Mandrels can be used as a core around which material may be cast, molded, forged, bent, or otherwise shaped. For example, in manufacturing coiled helical spring, the spring wire is wrapped around a mandrel that serves as a support.

There are many different types of mandrels for specialized applications, including live chuck mandrels, live bull ring mandrels, and dead bull ring mandrels. Mandrels can be found in several different styles and are used for a number of different techniques.