1
Inter IIT Tech Meet 12.0
Solinas: Design of a Telescopic Shaft
Team ID: 65
I. I NTRODUCTION
In the field of machinery, the development of en-
gineered parts plays a crucial role in improving ef-
ficiency. This report proposes a designed telescopic
shaft that aims to solve the challenges associated
with blending materials or waste with liquids in
industrial environments. The main goal is to create
a shaft that can extend and retract allowing for the
mixing of substances like water or wastewater with
components. Engineers face a challenge when it
comes to solid shafts, which lack flexibility and are
heavy. The design we propose is a mechanism that
can smoothly expand to the desired depth and retract
without affecting the component’s performance.
Precision engineering not only tackles challenges
but also optimizes workflows contributing greatly
to operational resilience and overall industrial effi-
ciency. Our proposed solution adheres to the prin-
ciples of precision engineering, by addressing the
demands of blending processes while prioritizing
reliability, effectiveness and ease of use.
The following discussion will explore the ap-
proach to designing, engineering and utilizing a
telescopic shaft, with waterproofing spark easy oper-
ation features. This innovative tool has the potential
to bring transformations to operations.
II. P ROBLEM S TATEMENT
Many wastewater treatment and industrial oper-
ations utilize large tanks over 5 meters deep for
solids separation, sludge storage, and waste homog-
enization processes. Effective agitation and mixing
requires equipment capable of reaching full depths.
However, long solid shafts needed to reach depths
have limitations around rigidity, weight, and human
handling. This poses challenges in maintenance and
capital costs. There is demand across industries for
more compact, lightweight expandable agitator sys-
tems suited to deep tank operations. The objective
is to design and develop a telescopic shaft able to
extend from 1 meter to over 5 meters smoothly and
reliably, to mount an agitator for solids mixing in a
0.4m diameter wastewater separation or storage tank
of 5 meter depth. The key requirements that were
identified by the industrial surveys and engineering
analyses are:
• 5 meter extension capacity
• 1 meter minimum retracted length
• Flexibility without compromising agitator
torque capacity
• Minimal weight for manual portability
• Waterproof for long-term sludge immersion
• Easy single-switch expand/retract mechanism
• Incorporate spark-proofing features
Research shows that telescopic and articulat-
ing shafts have been applied in other contexts to
address flexibility and compact size constraints.
Therefore, the aim is to advance shaft technolo-
gies to develop an innovative reliable solution tai-
lored and optimized to address the context-specific
needs of wastewater tanks. The designed expand-
able/retractable shaft aims to empower effective,
lower-cost solids and sludge agitation in deep tanks
across water treatment plants along with related
sectors like chemical processing and mining.
III. L ITERATURE S TUDY
The effective mixing of solids and homogeniza-
tion of slurry in deep tanks requires shaft-driven ag-
itator mechanisms capable of reliably reaching full
depths. However, the weight and lack of flexibility
posed by solid shafts creates handling, maintenance,
and reliability issues [1]. Recent researches have
come up with a hollow shaft with retractable mecha-
nism as the solution. Studies have demonstrated that
hollow shafts have reduced weight over solid shafts
while retaining the structural integrity. Rao et al. [2]
achieved over 50% weight reduction replacing an
automotive steel drive shaft with a composite hol-
low shaft alternative. For retractable designs, lower
weight directly reduces extension/retraction torques
and energy, also enables easier acceleration and de-
celeration in repeating extend-retract cycles. Hence
 2

employing a lightweight hollow design for im- driven impeller intended for inline mixing and ag-
proved efficiency of retractable homogenizer shaft. itation of biomass simultaneously during pumping
Based on inertia and motion principles, lowering through the hollow shaft.
mass enables easier acceleration and deceleration
in repeating extend-retract cycles. Hollow shafts
also provide better thermal properties and ability to
route wiring. The hollow center facilitates auxiliary
functions without needing additional mechanisms.
Inline mixer-agitator configurations using hollow re-
tractable shafts can reduce process tank volumes up
to 30%, decreasing costs substantially. Lipstick-type
mechanisms provide smooth, linear motion for tele-
scoping components. The high stiffness resists loads
from heavy mixing attachments while remaining
compact. Flex-rated linear drives actuate the shaft
reliably even in abrasive environments found in
wastewater systems. Combining lipstick telescoping
mechanisms with hollow shaft inline mixers appears
promising for industrial waste applications based on
current literature.
Figure 2: Kumar & Ramanathan Inline shaft driven
impeller design

IV. M ETHODOLOGY

A. Approach

The problem statement comprises various chal-

lenges faced during the design of such a long shaft.
In the following points, we have described how each
of the challenges have been tackled through our
design.
• Objective 1: To design a shaft capable of
expanding up to 5m of length and retracting
to 1m without affecting other components
Our design consists of a 4-section telescopic
shaft that can extend up to 5 meters to perform
mixing operations. The mechanism allows the
shaft to smoothly extend and retract in a con-
trolled manner.
Figure 1: Lipstick-Mechanism – Extendable Shaft Sections The telescopic
shaft contains four separate sections that
Kumar & Ramanathan (2021) [3] presents a re- nest inside one another. Each section con-
cent design of an agitator for a portable biomass sists of three components:
digester, using computational fluid dynamics and ∗ Grooved Outer Shaft: This fixed outer
empirical correlations to size key parameters like shaft has helical grooves on the in-
impeller diameter, motor power, and shaft dimen- ner surface with a 250mm pitch. The
sions. Kumar & Ramanathan designed a shaft- grooves act as guides.
 3

Figure 3: Helical Grooved outer shaft

∗ Rotating Inner Driving Shaft: This

shaft rotates to provide lifting force to Figure 6: Side-View of Driven Part slotted in Driv-
extend each section. All driving shafts ing Shaft
are connected to rotate together.

Figure 4: Inner Driving Shaft

Figure 7: Sectional-View of Driven Part slotted in
Driving Shaft
∗ Driven Inner Shaft: This middle shaft
sits between the driving and grooved
shafts. It has a protruding pin that fol-
lows the grooved shaft’s helical path as
it rises up, causing rotation.

Figure 8: Helical Grooves made inside the Fixed

Figure 5: Driven inner shaft Shaft

– Lifting Sequence
The sections extend sequentially from in-
side out:
∗ As the inner driving shaft of Section
1 rotates, its driven shaft rises up the
grooved path while rotating around its
own axis.
∗ When Section 1 is fully extended, its
driven shaft disengages from the groove
and only rotates.
∗ The grooved shaft of Section 2 locks
with Section 1’s grooved shaft. This
allows Section 2’s driving shaft to now
lift Section 3.
Table I: Material Properties of Aluminum 5056 H38
Table II: Material Properties of Carbon Fiber
• Objective 2: To ensure flexibility and a con-
Figure 9: Rotation Locking Mechanism of Grooved
shaft of Section 2 with Section 1’s Grooved shaft
Figure 10: Section-2 Telescoped inside Section-1.
Groove for continuous rotation so that Section-1
pushes Section-2 out
4
∗ This process repeats for each section
until the shaft is fully extended at 5
meters.
Retraction reverses the process when the
driving shafts are rotated in reverse. This
telescopes the sections back into one an-
other. In conclusion, the telescopic design
combines form and function to reliably
extend and retract the mixing shaft using
helical grooves and rotating drive shafts.
siderable weight of the shaft
The main design challenge for the shaft is
to enable flexibility while minimizing weight.
The original solid steel shaft, weighing ap-
proximately 8 kg, does not allow any bend-
ing or vibration dampening. To address this,
we explored lighter materials like Aluminum
5056 H38 alloy and carbon fiber composites.
Aluminum 5056 H38 alloy reduced the weight
of the shaft to 4 kg, but the shaft was still
too rigid. Integrating carbon fiber segments
into portions of the shaft introduces variable
stiffness that provides necessary flexure. With
careful optimization of the carbon fiber place-
ment, the total shaft weight has been reduced
to 3 kg, significantly improving portability.
The final design uses a modular approach with
Aluminum 5056 H38 making up 75% of the
length and carbon fiber composite for the re-
maining 25%. This Hybrid shaft provides the
ideal combination of strength, stiffness vari-
ability for flexure, and lightweight. Overall,
the redesigned shaft meets target flexibility and

weight requirements while maintaining durabil-
ity. Further testing will validate performance
under expected loading conditions.
To improve portability and accommodate dif-
ferent mixing needs, we implemented a de-
tachable L-type anchor blades at the end of
the shaft. L-type blades were selected over J-
type primarily due to the frustum-shaped tank
geometry and non-settling slurry used in this
application. The angled orientation of L-type
blades promotes outward radial flow along the
sloped tank walls. [4] This prevents material
buildup and ensures uniform mixing of the
shear-thinning non-settling slurry. While J-type
blades provide good bottom scraping, the L-
type blades are more effective for this tank
design and slurry.
Table III: Material Properties of Blades
The L-type blades are of the material AISI
316 Stainless Steel, providing good corrosion
resistance and suitable for applications for such
environments. The L-type blade is screwed to
the shaft, allowing quick changing of blades
or blade angles without needing to dismantle
the shaft coupling. Also such design gives an
advantage of safe and convenient portability of
the system as blades can be carried separately
and can be changed as per the requirement.
Figure 11: Detachable L-Type Anchor Impeller
5
Note: The design of the blade is taken from an
industrial usage. The thickness is determined
by performing FSI analysis on ANSYS FLU-
ENT followed by MECHANICAL and deter-
mining the load on the blade. The thickness of
blade for the model comes out to be 7mm and
the weight is approx 2kgs for Stainless Steel
material. Since the focus of the report is the
shaft, blades are not shown.
• Objective 3: To water-proof and spark-proof
the shaft
O-rings [5] are made from nitrile rubber which
provide excellent waterproofing and shock ab-
sorption capabilities for extending and retract-
ing shaft mechanisms. When properly designed
and installed, O-rings created a tight seal be-
tween the moving shaft and housing that will
prevent the liquid to even enter during ex-
tension and retraction motions. Key factors to
considered when selecting O-rings for water-
proofing:
– O-ring size - An adequate squeeze was
ensured on the O-ring to create a seal
without excessive compression or stretch.
Around 20-30% compression.
– Surface finish - Dynamic sealing surfaces
should have maximum roughness of 16
µin to avoid damaging O-ring on exten-
sion/retraction. Hence it was accommo-
dated
– Lubrication - Use compatible grease on O-
ring and sealing surfaces to facilitate low-
friction motion.
In addition to preventing water ingress, the
elastomeric properties of nitrile O-rings also
provide excellent shock absorption and vibra-
tion damping. Under compressive loads, the O-
ring material will deform to dampen impacts
and smooth motion. Proper design of O-ring
grooves and glands directs this deformation to
protect components. Shock loads up to 10x the
O-ring cross sectional area can typically be
tolerated.

• Objective 4: To ensure the mechanism is user-
Figure 12: O-rings
Table IV: Material Properties of O-Rings
To minimize friction and prevent sparking be-
tween metal surfaces especially the contact
point in the groove regions, low-friction, non-
metallic coatings is applied to the grooves.
Based on analysis of working conditions and
safety requirements, we have used polytetraflu-
oroethylene (PTFE) as the ideal coating mate-
rial [6]. Compared to ceramic and other coat-
ings, PTFE offers the best balance of wear
resistance, durability, and spark resistance. To
implement this the grooves are thoroughly
cleaned to remove oils and particulates. Then a
120 grit sanding is used to prepare the surface
for good coating adhesion. Multiple thin layers Figure 13: Driving mechanism of blade & shafts
of PTFE are then sprayed for even coverage from motor using Flange Coupling
and cured as per the manufacturer recommen-
dations. Coating thickness can vary between
0.1-0.3mm based on expected contact loads
during operation. PTFE coatings will not only
reduce the metal-on-metal friction up to 8 times
compared to untreated metal but also provide
electrical and thermal insulation. By preventing
sparking in the grooves, this helps mitigate
safety risks and potential system malfunctions.
6
The anti-stick properties of PTFE also prevent
material buildup in the grooves over long-term
use.
friendly and requires just a single switch or
button for operation.
A single motor will be utilized to provide both
the extending and retracting functionality of the
shaft, simplifying the operation. The motor will
be coupled to the shaft system using a flange
coupling, ensuring smooth torque transfer. The
torque will be transferred to the end shaft via
the rotation of all consequent shafts and hence
ensuring the blade rotation.
An Alternative Approach: Rather than rotating
all shaft segments for blade operation, only the
outermost section will rotate. This is achieved
by incorporating a flange coupling connection
from the base segment through each intermedi-
ate shaft piece, up until the last section. The last
shaft segment features a waterproof, insulated
auxiliary unit to facilitate blade rotation inde-
pendently. The one-way blade actuation aims
to enhance reliability and reduce mechanical
complexity compared to rotating every shaft
piece.
By driving extension and retraction from a sin-
gle motor through flange couplings, the mech-
anism aims for straightforward and reliable
functionality. The independent blade rotation
module in the end shaft segment further avoids
unnecessary movement of interior shaft sec-
tions. This targeted rotational operation intends
to uphold robustness while meeting functional

requirements.
B. Calculations
• Asumptions
In the process of designing a multi-segment
shaft, certain assumptions are often made to
simplify calculations and facilitate the design
process. When calculating the diameter of each
shaft segment, uniform material properties was
taken throughout each shaft segment. Tem-
perature effects on the material are neglected
and we have assumed linear elasticity. Simple
loading conditions are assumed with no buck-
ling for easy calculation. A hydraulic TM 160
DC motor is taken which generates a moment
of 350Nm and rotates at a constant speed of
120RPM. Any kind of losses and variation in
the torque is neglected.
• Calculation of Outer and Inner Diameter
of each shaft segment
For a hollow cylindrical shaft, the Maximum
Resisting Moment (Tmax ) is given by:
π×(Maximum Tensile Yield Strength)×(D4 −d4 )
Tmax = 16×D
For Aluminum 5056 H38, Maximum Tensile
Yield Strength= 345 MPa
Moment Load (Tmax ) =350 Nm
Lets calculate for the outermost shaft segment
having length (L)= 1.25m, and smallest set of
Outer diameter (D) and Inner diameter (d),
Putting all values we get,
From here taking D=20mm and d=14mm as
one of the acceptable solution keeping the
consideration of stresses induced to be less than
maximum tensile strength.
Keeping thickness same across all the shaft
segment, we can get the values of D and d
for each of the segment:
– For third segment: D=26mm and
d=20mm,
Shear Stress corresponding to this using
above expression= 156.059 MPa
– For second segment: D=32mm and
d=26mm,
7
Shear Stress corresponding to this using
above expression= 2.75481 MPa
– For first segment: D=38mm and d=32mm,
Shear Stress corresponding to this using
above expression= 1.86706 MPa
Thus, all the shear stress value is less than max-
imum shear strength of the chosen material,
hence each shaft segment will not fail under
the given load conditions.
Alternatively using carbon fibre with Maxi-
mum Tensile Yield Strength = 41.3 MPa, we
can achieve better strength to weight ratio.
Using above formula, we can calculate the
diameter of each shaft segment:
– For fourth segment: D=60mm and
d=56mm,
Shear Stress corresponding to this using
above expression= 34.22 MPa
– For third segment: D=64mm and
d=64mm,
Shear Stress corresponding to this using
above expression= 29.89 MPa
– For second segment: D=68mm and
d=64mm,
Shear Stress corresponding to this using
above expression= 26.33 MPa
– For first segment: D=72mm and d=68mm,
Shear Stress corresponding to this using
above expression= 23.37 MPa
All the shear stress value is less than maximum
shear strength of the chosen material, hence
each shaft segment will not fail under the given
load conditions.
• Mass Calculation of each shaft segment
Aluminum 5056 H38
Mass Density = 2.64gcc
Cross-Sectional Area of the shaft segment
4 4
(A4 )= π×(D4 −d ) = π×(4−1.96)
4
= 1.602cm2
Similarly,
A3 =2.168cm2 ,A2 =2.733 cm2 andA1 =3.298cm2
Total Cross-sectional area of the shaft = 9.802cm2
Mass of the whole shaft (without grooves) = 3.23kg
Note:This mass is subject to increase as we saw
that for second and first segment, keeping thickness
constant decreased induced shear stress drastically.
Therefore, increasing thickness to a certain extent
will increase the overall weight of the shaft. The
 8

overall weight of shaft will be in the range of 3 to

5kgs.

V. N UMERICAL A PPROACH

The numerical simulations are done using the

ANSYS MECHANICAL and ANSYS FLUENT
for the deployed configuration. First the model is
created as instructed above in SOLIDWORKS and
the geometry is imported to ANSYS. Then ANSYS
meshing was used to develop the mesh after which
the loads are given to the shaft for the structural
analysis and the simulation runs for total deforma-
tion, shear stress and strain on the shaft.
Further in ANSYS FLUENT we generate a mesh
similar to the above and set up the ANSYS environ-
ment. The equations were solved using a pressure-
based solver and simulations were performed us-
ing a k-omega turbulent environment with Coupled
method, used for pressure-velocity coupling. For
spatial discretisation Second order Upwind scheme
was adopted. The under-relaxation factors for pres-
sure, momentum, energy, body forces, and liquid
fraction were set as 0.3, 0.5, 1, 1 and 0.7. For
FLUENT analysis it is assumed that the slurry is Figure 14: Extended Shaft
completely filled in the tank. The slurry properties
assumed at room temperature are mentioned in the
Table IV.

Table V: Parameters of slurry considered [3]

VI. R ESULTS

The assumed weight of blade is 20N and slurry

parameters are given in Table IV.
• Shaft CAD model Figure 15: Retracted Shaft
 9

• Weight Analysis: • Total Stress:

The full prototype assembly consists of three
primary components: the mixing blade, ex-
tendable telescopic shaft, and rigid support
rig structure. The impeller blade utilizes AISI
316 stainless steel for its corrosion-resistance,
resulting in a final machined component weight
of 2 kg. This allows robust mixing perfor-
mance across a range of processing liquids.
From strength simulations, aluminum 5056
H38 proves sufficient for the 5 meter tele-
scoping shaft which must withstand the var- Figure 18: Total Stress on the shaft without blade
ious extension, retraction, and mixing forces weight
simultaneously. The shaft sections contribute
only 3.5 kg for the full-length mechanism. Sup-
plemental o-rings and waterproofing features
add negligible mass. Finally, the outer support
rig leverages AISI 316 stainless again for its
substantial durability and chemical compati-
bility with industrial production environments.
Through potential topology optimization and
mass reductions in future design revisions, the
support rig contributes 8 kg currently. In total,
the existing prototype assembly with a 5 meter
mixing range achieves a full mass of approxi-
mately 13.5 kg.
• Total Deformation: Figure 19: Total Stress on the shaft with blade
weight

Factor of Safety is defined as the ratio of the

Figure 16: Total Deformation of the shaft without
blade load
Ultimate Tensile strength to the workiing stress
load. the FoS is calculated in the Table VI.
The calculated Factor of Safety indicates a
sufficient safety margin for all the components
with values well above 1.0. Hence it confirms
the structural integrity of the design. However
further scope of optimisation is always there.

Table VI: Factor of Safety

Figure 17: Total Deformation of the shaft with blade

load • Total Strain:

Figure 20: Total strain on the shaft without blade
weight
Figure 23: Impact of rotating shaft on the slurry
(Velocity Streamlines)
• Comparison to convectional designs
Figure 21: Total Strain on the shaft with blade
weight
• Analysing Shaft in the Slurry:
Fig. 22 shows the pressure distribution by the
slurry while extension or retraction of the shaft
and we see that it shows minimal pressure
applied by the slurry and hence a smooth
translation of the shaft in it.
Figure 22: Pressure by the slurry on the Shaft
10
Compared to conventional lead screw linear
actuation systems, this telescopic shaft mech-
anism provides faster extension speeds and
greater stability under loading. The helical
grooves enable smooth upward motion even
under load, rather than relying on twisting fric-
tion that can cause binding or wavering align-
ment in lead screws. Meanwhile, ball screws
can better accommodate heavier loads but are
far more complex in construction and control.
The elegance of the nested telescopic mech-
anism is its simplicity, optimizing reliability
and maneuverability while minimizing compo-
nents to just structural shafts and tubes. This
compares favorably to the exposed components
in ball screws that increase sensitivity to con-
taminants. The sealed shaft sections protect all
critical parts from debris infiltration.
Finally, the modular shaft segments enable
application-specific customization of extended
length and mixing capacity by adding or re-
moving sections. This flexibility is a definite
advantage over fixed lead or ball screw systems
only available in set lengths.
In summary, this innovation balances simplic-
ity, durability and flexibility to exceed conven-
tional linear actuators. The intelligent lifting
mechanism, expansive yet rigid nested frames,
and modular sections combine to enable high-
performance extension dynamics for industrial
mixing uses. Looking forward, it has strong
potential to transform specialized equipment in
this domain and others relying on telescoping
linear actuation.
 11

VII. C ONCLUSION mechanism will add value over conventional

fixed-length shaft equipment.
The telescopic mixing shaft proposed in this
report offers an innovative solution for specialized
R EFERENCES
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mechanisms and a sequenced multi-section drive Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 776,
system, the design enables reliable extension of the no. 1. IOP Publishing, 2020, p. 012028.
shaft up to 5 meters on demand. [2] B. J. P. Rao, D. Srikanth, T. S. Kumar, and L. S. Rao, “Design
and analysis of automotive composite propeller shaft using fea,”
The real composition of the system lies in its Materials Today: Proceedings, vol. 3, no. 10, pp. 3673–3679,
implementation of a lipstick-inspired retraction prin- 2016.
ciple to smoothly translate rotary motion into con- [3] “Design of an agitator in the anaerobic digester for mixing
of biomass slurry,” Materials Today: Proceedings, vol. 46,
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lowing the angled grooves with a pin on the driven Congress 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.
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[4] S. Pedrosa and J. Nunhez, “The behavior of stirred vessels with
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selections induce flexibility, durability, and usability, [5] N. Tang, J. Rongong, and N. Sims, “Design of adjustable tuned
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they are mentioned as below: Vibration, vol. 433, pp. 334–348, 2018.
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attention
• Aluminum 5056 H38 and carbon fiber fabrica-
tion reduces weight while providing adequate
structural integrity.
• Detachable L-Type Anchor Blade and reduced
weight of the hollow shafts adds required
essence of portability to the shaft
• Use of no electrical wiring reflects that the
mechanism if produces spark, it will be a
consequence of friction. PTFE-coating on the
grooves is done to spark-proof the mechanism
from friction and o-rings waterproof and shock-
proof the intersections between shaft sections.
• A single motor design improves user-
friendliness and control over the full extend-
retract sequence.
Meanwhile, the modular shaft sections pro-
vide flexibility within a robust nested frame
to securely support industrial mixing attach-
ments. Additional functions like speed control
and attachment integration can build on this
foundation to suit various large-scale process
applications. Proposed mixing tip optimiza-
tions will enhance blending performance across
the fully-extended length after future testing.
When implemented for intended commercial
processes, this reliable and efficient automated