Design for a Shaft-Geared Level Wind Mechanism
Level Wind Cable Guide for Hoses, Cables, and Pipes
A level wind mechanism for automatic and manual reels handling hoses, cables, or pipes. Powered by a smooth drive shaft — torque transmission by friction — it lays cable evenly across the drum in uniform layers, with automatic direction reversal at each end of the stroke. Maximum linear speed depends on the rotational speed of the drive shaft. Note: this project covers the drive/traverse mechanism itself — the cable guide rollers are not included.
01 / Package contents
What's Included in This Level Wind Guide Design
3D Native files
Full 3D Inventor assembly and part models
3D Export formats
Export formats: STEP, STL, DWF
2D Documentation
2D DWG/PDF assembly drawings (in development)
Mounting
Adjustable clamping, easy installation
Bill of Materials
Complete BOM with part numbering
02 / At a glance
Shaft-Geared Level Wind – Technical Specifications
| Mechanism | Friction clutch — 3 brass yokes with angled-race bearings on a hardened shaft |
| Drive shaft | Ø30mm, hardened and ground |
| Drive input | Chain-coupled to drum rotation |
| Traverse stroke | 0.5–1.5 m |
| Max linear speed | 0–5 m/s |
| Compatible drum diameter | 0.5–2 m |
| Weight | 12 kg |
| Overall dimensions | 200 × 120 × 170 mm |
| Housing material | Aluminum AW-2017A |
| 3D files | Inventor (2014+), STEP, STL, DWF |
| 2D files | Inventor DWG, AutoCAD DWG (2004), PDF (in development) |
03 / Audience
Who Needs This Friction Drive Level Wind Mechanism
Cable, hose, and wire reel manufacturers
Winch and spooling equipment builders
Workshops building custom reel/winder systems
Engineers designing automatic cable management equipment
04 / The case for it
Why Choose This Shaft-Geared Level Wind CAD Design
Handles drums from 0.5m to 2m diameter
Traverse stroke 0.5–1.5m, up to 5 m/s linear speed
Compact: 200×120×170mm, only 12kg
Automatic direction reversal, manual declutch lever
Aluminum Pa6 (AW-2017A) housing, hardened Ø30mm shaft
Looking for other workshop mechanisms? Check out our Ball screw drive design, browse our full Special Engineering Projects collection, or reed our Engineering Guides
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